


Cloudy Wolf

by Denebola_Leo



Series: Cloudy Wolf [2]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Action/Adventure, Dad!Cloud, F/M, Family, Gen, I wanted feels and other stuff, I wrote most of this while I was half asleep, Just wanted to play around with the idea, Slice of Life, again no mention of Genesis or Weiss, could have been done worse, if they died off camera I'll figure it out later, it could have been done better, it's just for fun, lycanthropy, might branch into some other story later, overcoming difficulties, werewolf!Cloud
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-05-05 23:22:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 140,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14629182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denebola_Leo/pseuds/Denebola_Leo
Summary: Cloud's life is going well after the Deepground Incident, his family life happy and he himself allowing himself to be happy with them. One night a strange looking wolf crosses his path, and things get a little strange...





	1. Bad Moon Rising

**Author's Note:**

> This is an older work I'm slowly bringing over to AO3. Some of the writing could have been done better, and maybe some day I'll redo the whole thing, but for now this is what I got. Actually you know what I am editing this one so it's gonna be a little different than the original, but not by much. Just smoothing out sentences and maybe minor tweaks here and there.
> 
> I thought it was a fun idea to explore. Werewolves and vampires get weird treatment in Hollywood...
> 
> I didn't go the furry route with this, so don't expect any weird lemons. Just normal ones that normal people have. Have fun.

Cloud drove Fenrir through the thick forests surrounding Nibelheim, returning from Rocket Town through a mountain pass before finally entering into the familiar woods that surrounded his rebuilt hometown. The road was recently paved by the WRO, smoother than the usual country roads he traveled almost daily. Cloud swayed Fenrir slightly side to side, the movement a precautionary measure against his motion sickness. The forest was void of light except for whatever little moonlight sliced through the canopy, not that it was a problem for him.

His pace was relatively slow considering his usual speeds despite his eyesight, he always worried in the back of his head that a deer would shoot out in front of him for the umpteenth time in his journeys. The night hugged him, the high beam of his bike cutting a small triangle of light that pushed through the silver speckled darkness. Cloud had been gone from home for two days to deliver a package to one of Cid's neighbors; the pay for such a far away place from Edge was good. Still, he hoped to cut his return time down some, planning on resting in his tent as soon as he was across the river from Nibelheim. He didn't want to spend the night in that cursed, soulless husk of a hometown erected by Shinra and repopulated by the desperate, even if the inn had warm beds. No, his sleeping bag would give gentler dreams.

Cloud made his way deeper into the forest, wanting to reach the vast fields and meadows beyond quickly. As a child the woods gave him the creeps, with the howl of Nibel Wolves crawling into his nightmares. Even now the cries made their way to his ears, but instead of far away as he had heard when he was younger, they sounded much closer. He noticed a glimmer of movement out of the side of his eye; whatever Fenrir's light didn't reveal, his mako enhanced eyes would pick up clearly in monochrome. What he saw made him give pause to study it. It was a large, unusual looking wolf with monstrous claws that was running towards the side of Fenrir, looking at its target: Cloud. The two locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity to the delivery boy.

It wasn't that unusual for Cloud to come across wolves in this part of the world, but what was unusual was this one's speed, claws and face. The face had no fur and had an unusual nose on its muzzle, darkened and with elongated nostrils. Its forearms and paws were similarly hairless, and it was gaining on his motorcycle with a strange stride. He couldn't tell if it was perhaps a freak animal or some hideous mutation from either a long dip in a pool of mako or an escapee of the Nibelheim mansion. Was it _smiling_ at him? He didn't like where this might be going, he thought.

The wolf monster lunged with a hideous growl, and Cloud attempted to dodge it by sliding his bike and smacking the blunt part of the blade of the First Tsurugi into the beast's side, hard. It bounced off the pavement with a yelp, and for a moment he watched as the wolf-thing limped towards the other side of the road all the while studying the young man intently. Cloud turned and straightened Fenrir, then headed back towards the plains beyond Nibelheim. He sped up as adrenaline coursed through him, attempting to leave those nightmare woods behind him. He thought he heard the scream of some animal at his back, his spine tingling from the primal screech, and despite his better judgement he floored his bike. At last he exploded out of the woods and into an endless, moonlit plain dotted with villages here and there.

Relieved, Cloud let out a sigh. It wasn't unusual to be attacked by monsters and certain animals on the road, but the claustrophobic battle arena of a moving forest road wasn't his favorite place to rumble, especially at night. Despite his good vision in the dark, it was still a risky endeavor while speeding about. And when he didn't need to kill, he didn't. It would save time and save him from possible injury, even if his injuries healed quickly; he hated making Tifa worry when ever he came home with a few scratches or bruises or a gash on his head. Traveling on, he looked at the horizon to take note of how much further he would go before settling for the night. Cloud yawned despite the lingering adrenaline from his short skirmish, keeping him jittery and on the look out for more attackers.

About an hour later by his reckoning, Cloud stopped at a familiar camp ground maintained for travelers that was almost at the Nibel River; it was abandoned tonight except for himself. He set up his tent in silence and pondered setting up a campfire. His blanket would keep him warm enough in this weather, he supposed. As he laid in his sleeping bag, he sent Tifa a message so she knew he was safe, and sent another to Yuffie, who was asking about some inane subject as she usually did. She always played the role of the annoying little sister well, the thought stirring his tenderness for his young friend who stuck with him through tough times. As he was about to go to sleep, he winced as a pain shot up his arm as he placed it down. His hand instinctively grasped at the source of the trouble. He felt something sticky and wet, and he pulled his hand away and towards his gently glowing eyes: blood. _Great._

He quickly left his tent and began rummaging though one of Fenrir's compartments for gauze to cover the long gash on his forearm. He must have gotten it when that wolf attacked him, Cloud reasoned. He must not have moved fast enough when it jumped him. It didn't look that deep from what he could tell and it surprised him that it hadn't healed up already. After wrapping his left forearm he went back to his tent, unceremoniously plopping back down and into his sleeping bag. He laid on his back, slowly being lulled to sleep by the sounds of crickets and the breeze through a nearby grove of trees.

A dream skittered across Cloud's mind as he slept, different than his usual nightmares of the past and dreams of the present. Bits and pieces, of fangs, fur and claws and a heat in his chest that wanted to burst out and burn everything. The sensation of chasing something in the darkness, the taste of coppery blood in his mouth...

Cloud shot up from his bedroll, hands clinging to the blanket as if it were security from his dream. He licked his lips, the faint taste of blood still lingering in his mouth from the dream; he disliked the tang that stubbornly clung to his tongue. He looked about while yawning, the first rays of morning light filtering into his tent and illuminating the small space. Cloud looked down at his injured arm, hoping it would have closed up during the night as most injuries on him did. Slowly, he unwrapped part of it to check, and peered at the injury with a frown. It seemed slightly inflamed, though the edges were taking on the familiar shape that were a precursor to his rapid healing. It was still weeping blood in the middle. Cloud pondered what could possibly slowing down his healing, but decided not to worry too much. He wondered if materia or a potion would fix it up later.

Cleaning up his campsite and dismantling his tent, he stored the small bundle in another of his bike's compartments, then took out a small breakfast bar and his water canteen. As he munched on his meal, he watched the sunrise alone, contemplating his reunion with Tifa and the children as the rays of golden light grew stronger. He hoped to keep jobs like this at a minimum if he could help it, wanting to make up for lost time from his Geostigma days. He mentally kicked himself for the hundredth time for that. _'...No need to worry about that anymore.'_

Before leaving to continue his journey Cloud took out one of the potions he kept in Fenrir. After partially unwrapping the gauze on his arm he pulled the top off of the bottle with his teeth, then gently dribbled the potion over the wound. It slowly oozed into the cut, stinging the flesh as it began to work. Cloud's brow furrowed as the potion seemed to sputter out, stopping most of the bleeding in the deepest part but barely doing anything to the rest of the cut. He wondered if the monster had some sort of strange ability that made its injuries harder to heal. It wasn't impossible, but it was worrisome that something like that existed. With a wary sigh Cloud wrapped up his arm and sat himself on his bike. It would heal, it would just take a while. That was all.

* * *

The rest of Cloud's trip was uneventful, the courier taking some shortcuts to get to a ferry that had been set up by the WRO south of Gongaga and taking it to Edge. The evening closing in on the city as he gently pushed Fenrir off the boat, he sat back upon the bike and drove towards his home, Seventh Heaven. It wasn't that far from the docks, about five city blocks on one of the minor streets in the center of the city. Making a turn into the alley that led into the garage, he turned off his bike and hopped off. He brought Fenrir into the garage and then put down the kickstand before he closed the automatic door. He knew Tifa would be pleasantly surprised that he had come home a little early, though she was probably too busy with the bar to notice he was home. The room was pitch black to anyone but him, and Cloud made his way to the door that would lead him behind Tifa's bar.

Cloud winced as his eyes readjusted to the light of the bar. Taking a few steps forward he looked over towards the front of the business. The evening rush did not seem particularly busy though the regulars were eating and drinking as usual. Taking a few more steps he craned his neck into the bar, watching Tifa as she washed a glass in the sink. She looked up and smiled, and Cloud returned the gesture as he walked closer. She placed the glass to the side of the sink and gave him a tight hug, glad to see him after three days. He returned the embrace, his hands wrapping around her waist and his cheek snuggling against the base of her forehead.

"Cloud! How was your delivery? You said you weren't going to be back for another day!"

"Surprise," he deadpanned.

Tifa giggled a little before parting from him. She looked down at Cloud's arms, and frowned as she eyed the gauze. She took his left hand in hers and examined his arm, the dried blotches of blood crusting parts of the otherwise clean, white surface. "Oh, Cloud...What happened?" Tifa looked up into his cerulean eyes. Her ruby irises revealed her concern, her head slightly tilted to the side questioningly.

"It's nothing Teef, got into a tussle with a wolf while I was coming back home." He scratched the back of his head, a small smile on his lips as she finished her examination of his injury. "I better change the bandages on it now, anyway. It's gettin' itchy." He gave her hand a squeeze and then made his way up towards their living quarters. He could hear Tifa beginning to usher her patrons out as they finished meals and drinks. Evenings where he came home early usually resulted in the bar closing soon after if it wasn't too busy.

He silently listened ahead, his advanced hearing making out Denzel and Marlene working on homework before dinner. The sounds of flipping pages and scribbling came to his ears. Cloud decided not to greet them just yet, feeling in dire need of a shower and a change of gauze first. He quietly entered Tifa's and his room, gathering up a black shirt and pajama pants while taking off his heavy boots and pauldron, his long sash coming off next followed by his gloves and leather bracer. He carefully walked toward the bathroom, closing the door behind him and removing the rest of his clothes save for his boxers.

Cloud sat on the edge of the bathtub, unwrapping his wound to inspect it a bit better. He winced as it took off with a hair here and there, ripped out by the dried blood caking it. With a frown, he placed his fingers at the edge of the gash, the flesh warm and a little puffy. He wondered if it had become infected. He looked closer, the stubborn wound consternating him. The outside of the wound was indeed closing up, but the inside still weeped blood. He sighed as he put his arm down. Best to take a shower and clean the wound with soap and hot water, he decided. Maybe later he would hit it with a Restore materia, if it wasn't infected.

Half an hour later he was downstairs, wearing clean clothing and fresh bandages. The children charged him, ramming into his legs with the force of a thousand little hugs, and he ruffled their hair and squeezed them back happily with a smile on his face. They returned to their seats after a lingering moment, Cloud sitting next to Tifa after she served them their plates of food; she had made a casserole that had been popular back in their hometown before it had burned to the ground, and was still commonly eaten in the Nibel area. Despite the terrible memories they had never touched the nostalgia of their childhood cuisine.

"Hey, Cloud, what happened to your arm?" Denzel asked, pointing his fork towards the bandaged arm. Marlene looked over with her utensil in her mouth, eyebrows raised while observing her spiky haired guardian. Cloud swallowed his mouthful and lifted up his arm, the clean gauze unmarred by blood. The shower had thoroughly cleaned the wound, but it still ached.

"It was just a wolf attack, guys. It'll heal in a couple of days," he replied before taking another scoop of his meal.

Marlene bounced in her chair. "Was it a big, bad wolf?!"

Cloud thought back to the skirmish. He closed his eyes as he pictured what he saw in the dark. "Yeah, it was a pretty big wolf. Weird lookin', with these big front claws. It ran away after I hit it with my sword, though."

Denzel swirled some noodles on his plate, his jaw tensing. "Maybe...it was a werewolf?" He looked up to see Cloud frowning at him.

"I don't think those exist, Denzel," Tifa said. Cloud nodded as he chewed on his food.

"They're in the back of my old monster encyclopedia, Mr. Tuesti's mother gave it to me," Denzel replied. "You can look at it Cloud, if you want."

Cloud shook his head. "I don't think I've ever heard of werewolves outside of folklore, Denzel. They weren't in the newer edition I gave you, right?"

Denzel's cheeks began to burn, and he hesitantly shook his head. "N-no, but maybe they forgot about them. Why would it be in one and not the other?"

Tifa shrugged. "There probably wasn't any sightings of whatever they thought were werewolves for a long while."

"Right. It might have been a mistake on the author's part." Cloud sounded confident. Some worry panged in his head, however. The size, the odd fore paws, the aggression...The dream. He looked to the side while finishing his meal, mulling it all over. The gash itched, bringing his attention to it. It should be healed by now, but it still lingered. Why?

"Cloud wouldn't make for a very good werewolf, don't you think?" Tifa joked. Cloud snorted at the remark while taking a sip of water from his glass.

Marlene giggled, but Denzel kept his frown, the possibility in a child's head being something of a worry.

The rest of the meal went by quietly, and Cloud and Tifa helped the children with any homework they were having problems with. When Tifa went off to take a shower, Cloud was taken over to the corner of the room to play a card game with them before bed. He noticed Denzel's gaze fall on his injury ever so often, his smile almost forced at times. Cloud purposefully made a few bad moves to try and cheer him up, but he wasn't sure if it worked all that well.

When Cloud went to tuck the children in Denzel tried to give him his monster encyclopedia. He refused it; he wasn't in the mood to entertain the possibility, not when he just got back home. The worry was just slight and it seemed so silly, but he couldn't help the childish paranoia. Cloud read Marlene's book as he sat on the stool that usually sat in the corner near the door, now in between their beds. When he finished he wished them both good night, ruffling hair and giving Marlene's bear a little pat. With a final look back he turned off the light, then headed to the master bedroom.

"Did the kids have you read them a bedtime story?" Tifa asked as she lounged on the bed.

"Yeah...Denzel was still trying to get me to read his encyclopedia, too," Cloud replied, scratching the back of his head.

Tifa giggled. "I guess he's just worried about you, that's all. You know how kids are!"

He nodded before stretching to the point of popping his back. He looked about the warm and familiar room, more than ready to sleep in his own bed again. He thought to himself that he might avoid long distance deliveries for the time being. The money was good for when he was saving up for something special, but he had been doing well lately as it was despite the WRO making it easier for other delivery companies to pop up and compete with him. Still, the extra cushion from the delivery was welcome in case of an emergency.

Cloud gently pressed his hands and bottom against the soft mattress, a subtle smile on his face as he felt the give of the bed under him. God, how he missed his warm bed, laying next to Tifa. As much as he missed the bed, he missed Tifa more, and he snuggled up to her under the blankets as she scooted closer to him. He smiled against her neck. Tifa's lovely scent lulled him to sleep as he put a hand over her waist. She sighed next to him, her hand leaning against his as they both drifted off to sleep.

_Rustling underbrush and panicked breaths, the sound sending a dread excitement through his chest. Cloud panted as he charged through the forest and into a clearing bathed in moonlight with gently swaying grass. The scents he'd never smelled before! Earth and dew and fear..._

_The smell of fear made his jaws gnash together in anticipation, his feral eyes locking onto his quarry in a small clearing. He charged on all fours with a snarl. He leapt forward, taking down his now screaming prey. Looking down and ready to rip its throat out, he paused._

_Long brown hair, and radiant red eyes were staring at him. Pale glistening skin shimmered in the moonlight. He stared back, still panting heavily. Cloud swallowed hard, blinking at the sight in front of him._

_"Teeee...faaa."_

_"Cloud...?"_

_"Tifa..."_

_"Cloud!"_

_"Tifa!"_

"Cloud!" 

_Thump._ Cloud landed on his side onto the wooden floor with a groan. Tifa stood over him, her arms crossed under her breasts. "You were having a nightmare again," she mumbled, lowering herself down and looking at him with gentle, concerned eyes. Cloud looked up at her as he breathed heavily, terrified at what he had done in the dream. "Do you wanna talk about it, Cloud?"

 _'Just a dream...It was just a dream...Shake it off, Strife!'_ He put a hand up to his face and softly shook his head. "Sorry, Teef..."

Tifa took his other hand, helping him get off the hard floor. "You were calling my name out in your sleep. And kicking your limbs around, too! Were you a little puppy, looking for me?" She was gently teasing him, swaying her hips gently. He shook his head, feigning a smile.

 _'I was more than a little puppy. But I WAS looking for you,'_ he thought, swallowing.

"Well, breakfast will be done in a little while. I'll see you downstairs!" Tifa began to leave their room.

"Okay," he called after her, listening to her footsteps become distant. Cloud bee-lined for the children's room as soon as Tifa had made it down the stairs, peeking in to make sure they weren't there. The coast clear, he went towards Denzel's side of the room, a thick old book on his nightstand. Gazing at the blue leather book with golden title, it was indeed the book mentioned last night. Cloud gingerly lifted the book, and pushed his finger on the "W" indent on the book. Flipping a few pages, he came across the Werewolf entry, a large ugly wolf-man greeting him.

 _'Let's see...Forced transformations on the Full Moon, allergies to silver, here...'_ Cloud nearly dropped the book. A slowly healing wound, desire for meat, and predatory nightmares preceded the first transformation, occurring on the next Full Moon. He stared at the line of text for what felt like an eternity, his focus broken by the sounds of little feet charging up the stairs. He quickly replaced the book, turning to leave the room. Denzel slammed into him, the boy dressed for school. He gave Cloud a quizzical look.

"Mornin', Cloud...Um, what're you doing in here?" He looked up at his hero, noting he was paler than usual.

"M-morning, Denzel. I was...looking to see if you two had gotten up yet." He blinked at the boy while shifting his weight on his legs. He sniffled, and besides the scent of Tifa's cooking wafting from the kitchen entering his nose, there was another scent. Cloud furrowed his brow, but quickly became stoic again.

Denzel wasn't convinced by Cloud's excuse, but he decided to change the subject. "Forgot my book. I like to read it during my free time at school!" He lifted up the Monster Encyclopedia and placed it under his arm, a smile on his face. For the second time this morning, Cloud faked a smile, secretly wanting to read all he could on the werewolf entry.

"Well, guess we should go eat, huh?"

Denzel shook his head. "Marlene and I've already had breakfast. I better go, before I miss class! Bye, Cloud!" Denzel waved and turned, leaving the room quickly and leaping down the last few stairs. He would have to tell him to be more careful on the stairs later on. Cloud looked down at his bandages, touching along the injury; the ache was leaving, his healing ability was finally overtaking the stubborn gash. It would probably be healed in another day's time or so. Sighing, he made his way downstairs for some breakfast. There was no point in fretting just yet, he would research later. Maybe Tifa could make some sausage or bacon for him...

As he made his way downstairs Tifa looked up at him with a smile. "Any requests?"

Cloud blinked. "Guess something with meat in it would be nice," he said quietly as he fixed his coffee.

Tifa nodded before getting some sausage patties and eggs out to cook. Cloud sat himself at the bar counter, thinking hard on an outlandish subject. _'Werewolves? Sounds like crazy talk.'_ He scratched at the gauze covered gash on his left forearm, a twinge of worry growing in his chest. He wondered if he was actually going to become some shapeshifting nightmare that ate people on Full Moons. _'Would I have a choice in the matter, if it were so?'_ He sipped his coffee, oblivious to everything but his thoughts. In what felt like seconds Tifa had placed a platter in front of him, jolting him out of his worried thinking.

"There you go!" she chimed.

"Thanks, Teef." He went to stab at some of the sausage, the smell of it different, as if it smelled so much better than before. Cloud took a bite of it, and the flavor exploded in his mouth as if there were several different layers to the flavor he just discovered. Raising a brow at how delicious it was compared to yesterday, he went to some toast next. It tasted bland, though the butter gave it some enjoyable flavor; Cloud was surprised as he usually enjoyed toast. Next were the eggs, tasting mostly how he was used to them tasting. Cloud frowned, wondering why his taste buds were acting so strange. His thoughts went back to the little bit he read in Denzel's book. _'It said meat cravings, right? It didn't say anything about flavors changing...'_

"Hey, are you alright, Cloud?" Tifa held a worried expression on her face.

Cloud jumped, almost choking on his eggs. "Y-yeah, I'm fine." He looked around, finding himself thinking again. "I better hurry up, I have a lot of deliveries today." He ignored the toast and hungrily finished what was left on his plate before returning upstairs to prepare for work. The road would give him time to think.

* * *

"You really think Cloud's gonna turn into a werewolf?" Marlene asked incredulously as they walked towards the school. Their destination wasn't particularly far away from their home, the school a block away and to the south. The road was busy with pedestrian traffic and other children heading towards the school, from those younger than Marlene to those who were almost ready to graduate.

"Maybe," Denzel mumbled back, looking down at his encyclopedia. "Pretty sure he was looking at my book."

"Do you think you just worried him a little when you mentioned it last night?" She raised a brow.

"It's not like him to take something like that seriously, though." He looked back at the girl.

Marlene hummed while thinking. "We can keep an eye on him. Is there anything werewolves don't like?" She playfully kicked a pebble down the street.

"Um, silver can really hurt them, they don't like really strong smells...and they can hear dog whistles, too. They don't have a lot of weaknesses besides silver." They came up to the school gate and passed through. The front entrance was bustling with students of all ages, all making their way towards their homerooms.

"Couldn't Cloud hear dog whistles already? He can barely stand strong smells as it is, too..." Marlene scratched her cheek, thinking back to last Halloween, when someone egged the bar with a rotten chocobo egg. The smell was terrible, but only Cloud claimed to be able to smell it for the next two weeks with a wrinkled nose.

"No, I tried the dog whistle before, when Tifa said he had better senses than most." Denzel paused. "Hm, like, a strong smell can make a werewolf stop in its tracks, you know!"

"Oh. Well, we can try some things, then! See you after school!"

The children waved goodbye at each other, going towards different wings of the school and disappearing into the crowds.

* * *

Cloud drove down the road from Fort Condor, his body almost on autopilot as he brooded over the scant information he had; he was trying to convince himself it was just paranoia. Sure, Denzel's book had a werewolf entry, and maybe it looked a bit like the thing that attacked him, but it was just a ridiculous thought to him. _'Werewolf...Things are just in movies...but...'_ He looked down at his bandaged arm, a frown under his goggles. Looking back up, he glanced at the familiar sign that told him Junon was another ten miles away; he had a delivery for the upper city.

His stomach growled, and he slowed down, bringing Fenrir to a stop on the side of the road. Cloud fished about for a fruit bar in one of the compartments, the same flavor he had had that morning after the wolf attack. Opening it up, he frowned. It smelled exactly the same, of fruit and baked wheat, but unlike that morning it wasn't appetizing at all right now. Cloud took a mouthful with a shrug. After a few moments of chewing, however, he spat the mush out, and went for his water canteen to rinse the super sweet food out of his mouth.

"Blech..."

"What the hell is wrong with my taste buds today?" He loved those fruit bars. As Cloud's frown deepened, he stared off in the direction of Junon. Maybe he could grab lunch there, instead, after making his delivery. He started up Fenrir again, quickly accelerating towards the city by the sea. The quick trip was uneventful, the local monsters keeping far from the road today to his relief. As Cloud drove closer, the scent of the sea came more apparent, momentarily releasing his mind of his worries. Taking a turn in the road, he took the new upper highway into Junon, traveling along the eventually trafficked road that lead into the city proper. Slowing down, he looked at his receipt for the address, then headed for it; his customer was on one of the back roads near the cliff face shield of metal. He took off his goggles and placed them in the small compartment in front of him on Fenrir.

Finally delivering the letter and receiving payment, he decided to park his bike on the main road to stroll about for a place to eat. This area of the city was known for restaurants that catered to all classes, from the working poor to the filthy rich; there was a variety of places and a variety of tastes. Cloud walked by a noodle bar, the smell not catching his interest in the faintest despite having stopped by several times in the past. Another place was serving a local favorite made of fresh fish and seaweed; while it smelled appetizing to him, it wasn't quite what he thought he might want. He moved on, looking about as his stomach growled louder.

A few minutes more of walking and he smelled something...Good. Cloud look this way and that, the smell growing as he got closer to the source; it lead him to a barbecue shop that he'd never been to before, the food shop a brick and mortar place on Junon's wall with a sign that said "Pete's BBQ". Approaching, he looked over the small menu for a few minutes. Brisket, chocobo legs, pulled pork...He suddenly felt a slap on his back that pushed him forward a step, and then familiar laughing; turning around wide eyed he came face to face with a smiling Barret.

"Hey, Spiky! Comin' out here for lunch?"

Cloud nodded, still a little surprised by his friend's appearance. Junon was a big place. "Yeah. Felt like something a bit different than fruit bars."

Barret nodded, understanding. "Man's gotta eat! This place is pretty good eats, was gonna order some after you got done."

"Lunch date it is." Cloud smirked, turning back to the order window and rattling off what he wanted; brisket and pulled pork. He'd had them before, and wanted to see if they tasted the same or not.

"Date? You outta yo mind as usual, Spiky..." Barret went to the window next, asking for his 'usual'. The two sat themselves at a nearby table on the wide sidewalk, watching as pedestrians and vehicles came and went, conversing about the family and when the next oil field would be tapped. Cloud absentmindedly scratched at the gauze covering his itchy, slowly healing wound; Barret frowned and pointed at his friend's arm.

"What happened?"

Cloud lifted his arm up. "Oh, just an injury from a delivery. Roads' still aren't safe at night." He left it at that.

Barret shook his head. "I know you think you tough shit, but watch your spiky ass out there! Last thing I need to hear is you gettin' eaten by somethin'..."

The warrior chuckled. "I'll be fine, Barret. Nothin's been able to keep me down yet." It was true, from Sephiroth to Rosso the Crimson, he had been a very tough cookie.

"Yeah, yet." Barret looked up, a waitress coming with their orders, and he waved. "Looks like our grub's ready!"

Cloud looked at his platter, two piles of different kinds of meat. He stabbed at some of the meat, mentally shrugging at his test; would he have the same reaction to this as he did the meat at breakfast? He took a bite, and just like the sausages he had that morning, the flesh he chewed was somehow so much better than he remembered, his stomach demanding more. Cloud frowned, thinking back to the little bit of information he acquired from Denzel's encyclopedia before the boy came to take it with him to school. Was he just a victim of suggestion, or was it really what he was fearing? _'It's not like I haven't fallen to suggestion before...'_ He thought, mentally cringing.

"What, you don't like the food, man?" Barret prodded between a mouthful of a barbecue sandwich, noticing the look on his friend's face and his hand limply holding his fork.

Cloud looked up at him and blinked, then back at his small meat piles. "...I like it, just...was worried for a moment that I forgot a package," he lied. Before he could make another face, he ate some more of his lunch, the meat unnaturally good.

Barret gave a small laugh. "Don't work too hard, now."

They finished their lunches in silence, Cloud focusing on his thoughts as he ate. Just having his taste buds react to food differently doesn't mean werewolf, necessarily. Not in his mind, at least. _'I'll stay home this weekend, read some books...I doubt it's true.'_ His mind went back to the couple of dreams he had as he ate the last bite of his lunch, displeased with his dream self trying to eat Tifa. Cloud sighed, and despite his constant denials in his head, he couldn't help but worry about the what-ifs. Rising up from his seat, he stretched his back before patting a still sitting Barret on the shoulder.

"Still got packages to deliver. I'll tell Marlene you said hello," the delivery boy said.

His big, burly friend nodded happily. "You keep my baby girl safe, Spiky. I've been busy, but I'll call up soon and try to make some time to be with her." He had a wistful look on his face, his separation from his daughter a constant pain in his heart.

Cloud gave Barret a nod and a smile. "You know I will. Take it easy, Barret." With that he turned around and disappeared into the crowd. Moving towards Fenrir, he let out a heavy sigh, wondering how he'd keep Marlene, and Tifa and Denzel for that matter, safe from him if he was going to become a monster in roughly a month. Sitting on his bike and placing his goggles back on, he resolved to find out the truth.


	2. Snooping Spies

"Okay, so Operation...um...Silver, is on!" Denzel said, Marlene pumping her arm up happily. The two seemed naively cheerful despite the reason for their sneaky operation; finding out whether Cloud was truly a werewolf. Marlene was skeptical at best, going along with Denzel's plan to give him peace of mind. The boy cracked open his monster encyclopedia to the werewolf section, a flashlight shining on the yellowed pages as he settled on the first page of the entry. He situated it next to Marlene, the two on his bed, and began to read some of it to her.

"The majority of werewolves are aggressive, violent monsters that let their primal instincts rule them instead of their human minds. While it's possible for werewolves to become...er, lucid," the boy still uncertain of the word's meaning, "most tend to become ill tempered beings who hunt humans on Full Moons, or whenever they transform into their true forms, either unaware of their rampage, or uncaring."

Marlene frowned. "You don't think Cloud'll do that, do you?"

Denzel shrugged, continuing on.

"The more a werewolf changes, the easier it is on their bodies, and the easier it is for them to stay themselves if they survive over the months. However, usually the first transformation ends in the death of anyone nearby, reports in the past of entire villages wiped out by a hunting werewolf. The act may compound the human form's mental stability, leading to...er, nihilistic, sadistic personalities. Werewolves are known to kill those who find out their secret."

A loud creak came from the top of the stairs, and Marlene almost leaped from bed to bed, kicking her covers back on. Denzel shut the book quickly and placed it on his nightstand, turning off his flashlight and tucking it behind his pillow. The door began to open with a creak, and he laid still, feigning sleep. It was then he remembered to put his blankets over himself. _'crap,'_ his jig was up.

"Hm..." a male voice hummed by the doorway. Cloud. "I thought I heard children up after their bedtimes..." he whispered, a little game he had played with the children before. A shadow passed over Denzel's closed eyes, and he felt his blankets lift up off the bed and onto himself. "You're getting bad at this, Denzel," Cloud said softly. "Good night, kiddos." He left the room, closing the door. Denzel's eyes snapped open and Marlene turned around in her bed to look at him.

"Maybe more tomorrow," she said.

* * *

Footsteps noisily stomped downstairs, the weekend finally here and the children free of school work and hoping for a hot breakfast of pancakes. They were greeted by Cloud and Tifa, the latter working on pancakes and the former nursing a cup of coffee while looking over the bandaged injury on his arm. Cloud looked up when he greeted them, giving the children a tired look. Marlene walked over to her usual seat, opposite Denzel, giving the blond man a little smile.

"You don't look like you slept very good, Cloud!"

He grunted, taking a sip of his milky coffee. "Not really."

Denzel looked over at Cloud. "Nightmares?"

"Mmm." Another sip of coffee, Cloud holding the white ceramic mug in both hands and closing his eyes as the vapors of his drink wafted on his face. He seemed to be thinking through whatever he had seen during the night, a worried expression on his face.

The boy knew better than to ask what nightmares he was having. Tifa had told them not to ask when they each came to live with them, explaining that they were something Cloud had to work out himself.

"How's your injury?" Marlene asked innocently.

Cloud lifted his arm with his eyes half open, the gauze fresh and white. "Still recovering. Almost gone, though."

"Guess that wolf got you good, Cloud." Denzel said it almost as a challenge. Cloud didn't respond, nor look at the child; he merely tensed his jaw, blowing a sigh from his nose.

"Hey, breakfast's ready!" The table occupants looked over towards Tifa, the woman bouncing over with four plates on a tray. She placed dishes of pancakes in front of them all, and Cloud's plate had a serving of bacon with his pancakes. He looked expectantly at the small meat pile, then back at Tifa with a thankful look. "There's the bacon you requested!"

"Thanks, Teef." He hungrily noshed a piece of the thin flesh, Denzel noticing his focus on the meat while ignoring the hotcakes that he seemed to look forward to every weekend. He went back to his own plate, cutting into his pancakes.

"You two have any plans with your friends this weekend?" Tifa asked the children.

They shook their heads. "Not this time," Marlene said.

Denzel put his fork to his lower lip, thinking. "I was gonna help clean up the house a little, I think." The boy was good at tidying up homes, and he did consider it a repayment to the two for bringing him into their home. But, he had an ulterior motive: watching Cloud.

Tifa smiled. "Are you sure? You don't have to if you want to play..."

Denzel shook his head. "It's alright, Tifa. I enjoy helping around the house!"

Tifa nodded and went back to her food. Cloud seemed oblivious to the conversation, munching on the last of his bacon with a vacant expression, as if deep in thought.

* * *

Denzel sweeped near the edge of the stairs later on in the afternoon, crouching down to sweep the dust into a hand-bin. His eyes went to the stairs as a distracted Cloud ascended them, a book in his hand. He was staring at the cover, a large brown leather book. Looking up, Cloud finally took notice of the boy, bringing the book close to his chest. He finished his climb, watching Denzel as he reached the door to his office.

"Hey, Denzel. Stayin' outta trouble?"

The boy nodded with a smile. Cloud ruffled his hair.

"Alright. I'll be in my office if you need anything." The blond man entered his office and closed the door, Denzel peeking through the door glass to see him sit down and open the book. Cloud seemed deeply interested in the book, scratching the back of his neck in a nervous fashion Denzel had observed in the past. He watched Cloud for a few more minutes, the courier finally leaning back in his chair a moment before removing the gauze from his arm. He raised his forearm to look at it in the light.

Denzel squinted at the injury, the gash seemingly knitted back together if a bit red and swollen. Cloud seemed to go to a passage in the book, his finger gliding over the page and then looking back at his arm. He paused, then released a sigh as he tapped his fingers against the desk. Denzel left the window on the door that lead into the office, deciding to peek at the book later, going off to clean the bathroom next and think about getting to that book later.

As he scrubbed at the tub half an hour later, Denzel wondered if it was simply paranoia on his part. Then again, Cloud seemed to be taking it more seriously than he had let on earlier. Really, what _could_ he or Marlene do if one of their loved ones were turning into a monster? Tifa certainly wasn't going to believe it. Or at least, he was quite sure she wouldn't. It was too farfetched, even if it was in his book. What _would_ Tifa do if she even believed them? Throw Cloud out of the house?

Denzel shook his head anxiously at the thought. It would tear the family apart if Tifa perhaps overreacted. Then again Cloud could _literally_ tear the family apart if he was becoming a werewolf and had no care for what he would do to them. The chestnut haired boy scrubbed harder. But Cloud had to care if he was researching werewolves. Or maybe it hadn't taken total control of him yet, but wouldn't he warn them? His head was swimming with possibilities.

"Denzel?"

He quickly turned his head at Cloud's voice. He blinked a few times and studied his guardian's face as he patiently stood in the doorway. Was he _sniffing_? "Um..."

Cloud rubbed the back of his head and moved further into the bathroom. Denzel stiffened ever so slightly. "You okay, Denzel?"

"Uh, yeah. I-I was just zoning out."

"Oh. I was just wondering if I could use the bathroom for a few minutes."

Denzel nodded. "Yeah, I'm just gonna put this stuff away and you can have it."

Cloud chuckled, then nodded. "Alright. Thanks."

Some hours later Denzel heard Tifa's call for dinner, and he went downstairs to eat with Marlene. Cloud was already there, helping Tifa put food on the table. He was trying to hide it, but Denzel could see the slight look of disappointment on his face. When he saw what was for dinner, he knew why; Tifa had made stuffed cabbages. They weren't the household's favorite, but they weren't bad at all with Tifa's skill in cooking. Somehow, she could make cabbages taste good.

They all sat down at the table and began passing food to one another. A couple of stuffed cabbages here, some mashed potatoes there. Some carrots leftover from last night unceremoniously plopped onto his plate and a little gravy. Denzel was hungry after all that cleaning earlier. He sliced into one of his cabbages and began to eat, but not before noticing Cloud's plate.

Usually Cloud would pile up his plate. If Tifa made it for his meal, Cloud devoured it like a goddess from heaven had graced him with the food. Tonight, he picked at what he had chosen to eat. There were two stuffed cabbages and a large glob of mashed potatoes drowned in brown gravy, and absolutely no carrots. Cloud's fork peeled the tender cabbage away, a blond brow raising as he went to inspect the meat inside. With just a hint of hesitancy he stabbed at the seasoned meat and cabbage, then quickly placed it in his mouth.

After a few moments of chewing he seemed far less disappointed than he had when Denzel first saw him.

"Hey Denzel, did you wanna go over to Natsumi's house tomorrow?" Marlene asked as he turned to the sound of her voice.

He looked at her blankly for a few moments, then quickly nodded. He needed a break from this, and a Full Moon wasn't near. Besides, he liked going to her place. Ever since she had been adopted by a couple in the neighborhood sometime after she was cured in the church they had met regularly. "Yeah. I, uh, I should probably bring my homework over." Or something.

"How's she doing?" Tifa asked.

Marlene answered cheerfully, "she's doing fine. She said hello to you and Cloud, by the way!"

"That's good to hear. Tell her we said hello back." Tifa turned to Cloud. "I set up your deliveries for tomorrow."

Cloud nodded as he swallowed a bite of mashed potato. "Thanks, Teef." He took a sip of water, his eyes growing a faraway look when they returned to his plate before continuing on with his meal. Denzel stopped staring and focused on his own food before he was noticed.

After dinner, the children went to their room, telling Cloud and Tifa they were going to play a game together. Denzel told Marlene his plan to sneak into the office, asking her to distract the two adults while he checked. After a few minutes the girl pitter-pattered down the stairs, attempting to entertain the two as Denzel sneaked into Cloud's office. The book was still there, a blue bookmark jutting out; he recognized it as the one he made Cloud in art class last year. Going back to the book, the front had a wolf face on it, and Denzel gulped before opening the book to the title: A Treatise on Werewolves. Damn.

Denzel turned to where the bookmark was, then a little back. The pages described the possible symptoms, and an illustration of a wound created by a werewolf. He thought back to earlier and Cloud's arm. A chill went down his spine, and he replaced the book, deciding that this warranted more snooping. He left the office, giving a small stomp so Marlene would hear it and retreat. A few moments later, she popped into view from the doorway as she entered the room. The boy's face was downcast, and Marlene showed concern at his demeanor.

"So, what did you find out?"

"The book is on werewolves. He's checkin' for himself, I guess." Denzel climbed onto his bed and began reading his monster manual again, promising to give Marlene more information as it came in. He began reading up on the beginning symptoms and what he should observe in the coming weeks, mostly in regards to usual werewolf weaknesses that he'd gone through already at school, his childish paranoia ramping up.

The sound of footsteps reached his ears a few minutes afterwards, Tifa and Cloud coming to put them to bed. Cloud looked down at the boy as he entered, Denzel noticing his eyes widen momentarily as he looked at his open book. He quickly closed it, putting it on his nightstand. The spiky haired man placed the boy's covers over him, tucking him in and sitting on the side of the bed. Denzel pointed at Cloud's arm, and he extended his arm towards the child. The injury was almost gone, a white scar knitting itself away. Cloud ruffled his hair, giving him a shy smile and wishing him good night.

Denzel would have to try harder to confirm. The last thing he wanted was a person he loved turning into a violent monster.

* * *

A week later, and not much had changed, except Cloud's habit of asking for more meat at meals, or as Denzel saw as he snooped in Fenrir's compartments, Cloud's usual fruit bars were replaced with beef jerky, a food he hadn't been particularly fond of in the past. Tifa hadn't seemed to notice the change, or perhaps she figured he was hungrier than usual. Her food was really good, after all.

"Hey, Denzel!" Marlene came charging towards the boy, holding something in her hands with a grin. They were outside Seventh Heaven, the street bustling with people. It was right before the bar usually opened.

"What's up, Marlene?" His brows were raised.

She opened her palm, a plump, red stink bomb staring back at him. She held a pack of matches in the other hand. "You think we can test out if Cloud can take strong smells?" Marlene whispered as low as she could.

"Where did you get those?" Denzel asked, dumbfounded as he reached for the door.

The girl snorted. "Friend of a friend."

Denzel informed Marlene that Cloud was in the garage, working on Fenrir. The girl tapped her cheek, and asked Denzel to watch from the inside. He nodded, making his way inside the bar and then maneuvering past the counter and into the garage, the sound of metal on metal getting closer. He opened the door, Cloud already up and looking at him, the boy wondering how far out he could actually hear.

"Hey, Denzel," Cloud got up from his sitting position, a smudge of black grease marring a cheek. "Need something?"

"Uh, I just wanted to see you work on your bike..."

Cloud shook his head, a small chuckle passing his lips. "Already done workin' her." He suddenly looked towards the closed garage door, as if he heard something, his brows together. Moving towards the door, he suddenly stopped, then fell to his feet panting and wheezing.

Denzel caught the faint scent of the stink-bomb growing stronger, but nothing that would illicit this kind of response in a normal person. His guardian snorted and sneezed, and Denzel paused a moment to watch, then took an arm and tried to drag Cloud towards fresher air; the noise brought Tifa and Marlene into the garage to help, after gawking at the sight. Tifa grabbed his other arm, her strength pulling Cloud out of the garage and behind the bar.

Gasping and eyes watering, Cloud meekly crawled up the stairs with Tifa guiding him by the arm, taking him to the bedroom where he could get some fresh air from an open window. The two children stood at the base of the stairs, eyes wide and mouths open. They looked at each other, their little faces pale.

"That wasn't normal," Denzel mumbled.

Marlene shook her head. "Do you think we should check on him?" The girl was reaching for a cup, turning on the tap to collect some cold water.

Denzel softly kicked the bottom step. "I guess so." Marlene grabbed his hand, her other hand holding a cup of water, and they climbed the stairs slowly. They could hear Tifa trying to calm Cloud down.

"It's okay, it's okay...What happened?" Tifa cooed.

"Bad smell..." Cloud moaned back, his voice hoarse.

The children walked through the hallway. They stood in the doorway, Denzel knocking on the side to get Tifa's attention. Both adults turned, Cloud looking up from the open window panting as Tifa rubbed his back. His face was red and his nose running, and his bloodshot eyes regarded the children, lingering on Marlene. The little girl gulped, then walked towards the suffering man. She held out the water cup, Cloud's face softening as he slowly took it from her. He gulped it down with a sigh, then thanked her.

* * *

"Denzel...Are you out of your room again?" A male voice queried from beyond the door.

"...Bathroom, Cloud," the child said, making his way towards the mentioned room.

"Hm."

Damn. Cloud had been catching him snooping more often as the weeks passed by. After the stink-bomb incident, Marlene had made it a habit to avoid Cloud's eye, certain he knew she was the one who lit it, despite her quick re-entrance into the house. Cloud himself had put on a face of normalcy around the children and Tifa, though Denzel couldn't help but suspect he knew he was being watched by the children. Cloud would very often read folklore books at night, the sound of his mumbles and sighs attracting the boy.

One night, Cloud was particularly distracted, seemingly upset at something. His head lay on his wooden desk, and he was bouncing his left knee to help him think. His hands rubbed the sides of his spiky, blond scalp. Denzel stayed absolutely still, listening from the far wall of the hallway, having learned where all the creaky boards were over his time spying.

The man grumbled, almost whined in a low, angry voice. "Why me...a _fucking_ werewolf..." Denzel's eyes widened, everything quieted except the sound of his heartbeat and Cloud's words.

A sigh was let out, heavy and long. "They can't find out..." he nearly whispered.

He lifted his head slowly, the child watching, frozen. "No one can know about this." The grim words sent chills down the boy's spine.

Denzel booked it as quietly as he could into his room, throwing the covers over himself and shutting his eyes, going over Cloud's words as he tried to control his breathing. After a few moments he heard the door to the office open all the way, and soft footsteps leading to Cloud's shared room with Tifa. A few minutes later, the footsteps went downstairs, and the front door closed and locked quietly. Denzel laid still a few moments more, then bounded over to Marlene's bed, shaking the girl awake in his panic.

"Ugh...Denzel, what?" The girl mumbled, her voice annoyed. She heard his ragged breaths and felt shaky hands on her side, and she sat up in bed. He pointed out the window, and both children clamored towards the glass. Denzel pointed towards a spiky haired silhouette on the dark street, walking away from the bar and into the murky darkness beyond. Marlene made a questioning noise, looking back at the boy.

"Where is he going?" she asked.

Denzel shook his head. "I dunno. But he was in his office, talking to himself this time."

The little girl frowned, her concerned eyes highlighted by the light of a streetlamp. "...What did he say?"

Denzel repeated what he had heard, Marlene gasping at the confirmation from Cloud's own mouth. She put a hand to her mouth, her eyes tearing up a little.

"Oh, Cloud..."

Denzel hugged the girl, holding her tight as she quivered. "...Maybe he's wrong, maybe we were wrong too..." His voice shook a little, hoping his hero wasn't going to turn into a fiend.

"...But the stink-bomb, and the books...The meat..." Cloud's meat cravings hadn't let up, and he seemed to almost ignore sweeter foods anymore, for the most part. Whenever they had vegetables or something with noodles in it, he would quietly consume them with a distasteful look unless they were soaked in meat broth.

Denzel sighed. "We'll just watch him some more. Buy a dog whistle, see if he can hear it. Watch him around silver."

"Isn't his earring silver?" Marlene mused, looking up at Denzel.

"No, it was...Um, pewter, not silver." He remembered asking Cloud about the earring a long time ago.

"Do you think he'll come back?" Marlene asked, sitting on her bed now.

Denzel nodded, though he honestly was unsure. "I think he will." The boy went to his bed, jittery from the words Cloud had uttered, but tired from his nights of snooping late. He fell to sleep in time, a fitful rest of dark dreams.

_Denzel laid on his bed, the door to the hallway creaking open. A silhouette of a familiar spiky haired man glowered at the threshold, the normally kind eyes malevolent in their eerie blue glow. He was looking directly at Denzel. He could hear heavy, raspy breathing emanating from him._

_"...My secret."_

_Denzel blinked. "I-I don't know your secret!"_

_Cloud took a step closer, his left hand jagged claws and fur billowing down his arm. "You saw my secret...No one can know, Denzel." His voice was deadly calm, the child fidgeting in his bed from the icy cold words._

_"Cloud, please..." the boy pleaded._

_"No...one..." The clawed hand came rushing down towards the child's chest, the boy screaming._

"H-hey! Denzel!" A little girl squeaked in the darkness. Denzel opened his eyes.

The rest of the family was staring at him in the morning twilight, concern in their eyes. The females flanked his bed, Cloud standing at the foot with his arms folded across his chest. Denzel looked at them all, breathing heavily as he shook off the nightmare. Looking up at Cloud, he swallowed, the blond frowning at the child.

Tifa held onto Denzel's shoulder. "You were having a nightmare...It's okay, it's over."

Denzel didn't think it was over. It might just be the beginning of a nightmare. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just read too many scary books at school." Tifa seemed satisfied with the answer, nodding and responding that breakfast would be ready soon. Marlene hopped onto his bed, giving him a side hug, while Cloud lingered, now standing where Tifa had been and looking down at the two.

"...Try not to read so many scary books, Denzel. You don't want to have nightmares every time you go to sleep." Cloud joked, trying to lighten the mood. He put a hand on the child's shoulder, Denzel inhaling sharply and flinching at the contact. Cloud blinked, his frown deepening. "Right...I'll see you two at breakfast." He headed out of the room and down the stairs, the silence in his wake palpable. Marlene looked at Denzel.

"It was about Cloud, wasn't it?" she whispered.

The boy nodded.

Marlene shook her head. "Can't let him know we know right now. Try to be strong."

Denzel nodded again, preparing himself to be in Cloud's presence downstairs again. It was too soon for him.

He reluctantly made his way down the stairs, noticing his guardians talking to each other as Cloud fixed his coffee; the child slunked towards his seat quietly while eyeballing them. The blond turned to shuffle towards his seat, Denzel sucking in a breath sharply as Cloud went to sit down beside him while sipping his coffee. A moment later he looked down at the boy, blinking.

"You must've read some pretty scary stories to still be spooked like this," Cloud mumbled.

Denzel nodded, then looked back towards Marlene. "Yeah..."

The warrior raised a brow. "What were they about?" He sipped his drink, trying to wake up.

The boy fumbled with his fingers under the table. "Um...Ghosts, n' vampires n' werewolves, too." He glanced up at his guardian, the man's face inscrutable.

Cloud's brow furrowed. "...It's a bit early to be reading Halloween stuff, isn't it?"

"I-I guess so. I just wanted to read something scary lately."

Cloud returned to his coffee, with an almost inaudible whisper into his cup. "Guess we both have..."

Denzel looked away, his fearful blue eyes searching Marlene's brown orbs as Tifa brought their food to the table. He looked down at his oatmeal, then glanced at Cloud's breakfast; he had a disappointed look on his face as he took a spoonful of the warm, runny food and put it in his mouth. The spiky haired man closed his eyes, wincing as he swallowed; Tifa frowned at the face he made.

"Is the oatmeal alright?"

Cloud nodded. "I guess I'm just not interested in it today. I can finish it, though." He scooped again, and swallowed the mouthful quickly, making less of a face this time. Tifa returned to her own breakfast with a small shrug, and Denzel looked back at Marlene, both concerned.

A few minutes later as the children continued to eat, the boy felt eyes on him and looked back up to see Cloud looking at him, the blond having finally finished the oatmeal that displeased him so and sipping from his mug. Denzel shifted his eyes back and forth nervously, causing Cloud to frown.

"You okay, Denzel?" the warrior asked.

"Y-yeah," the boy automatically replied back.

Cloud gave Denzel a concerned look. "If you're sure..." He paused, then his face softened. "I'll be home early, did you wanna help me work on Fenrir?" Denzel loved working on the bike with him.

Denzel paused, thinking. What if Cloud was watching him, did he know he was out of bed last night? He still needed to watch his guardian, even if he was scared. "Uh, sure. I'd like that." He looked up into Cloud's eyes, the man nodding.

"We can do it before you do your homework," Cloud said, turning his head away.

* * *

_'Everything has to look normal...Just normal. They can't know what's happening to me, I...I'll just find a place to hide away. I'll find a way to make this work.'_ Cloud glanced back at Denzel quickly, sighing. He smelled so fearful. _'...But I'm sure he knows. Denzel isn't stupid...What do I do?'_ Did the boy watch him last night? Did he hear him leave as he made his way towards the church? Cloud was terrified, but he wasn't dragging them into this if he could help it. No, he'd try to keep life as normal as possible for them. He owed them his happiness.

Last night he had walked towards his favorite place to be alone, though lately he came with his family. He needed the alone time, however; the books confirming his fears mostly as the symptoms lined up with what the books said. Cloud was a warrior and a simple, awkward man, but it would be a mistake to think him an idiot; when Geostigma festered on humanity he had tried researching a cure on his own for the sake of Denzel. It was foolhardy, but he gained a lot of knowledge on the subject despite it. But when he came down with the deadly disease...

Walking into the Sector Five slums, or what was left of it, he meandered into Aerith's church in the dead of night as a half moon waxed above him. He watched the shining object with fear, knowing he had a little over a week before his worries were confirmed beyond a doubt. Heaving a heavy sigh, Cloud opened the door to the church, letting himself in to the serene, sacred place. It was as it had been that day he appeared in the waters of the spring, the healing waters curing the diseased of their Geostigma; he slowly shuffled towards the pond of gentle, Lifestream touched water with some hope of curing this malady. Cloud took out a fruit bar to test if the water would cure him of lycanthropy; he had been tempted to bring silver but the fear of leaving some permanent mark, or accidentally having it rub into his skin, or on the terrifying off chance it was true that he was becoming a monster had made him forgo it. No, he knew his tastes were wrong, he knew his nightmares were wrong, his reaction to the stink bomb, being able to tell who was who by scent and sound and the smell of fear...

The urge to hunt as he saw animals on the side of the road. When had he ever wanted to chase a deer?

He shook his head. Moonlight gently reflected off the pool, reminding him again. Cloud sat by the side of the spring, looking from the polished Buster Sword down to the pool of water. "What do I say, what can I do..." He placed the food item down next to him, and stripped off his boots. Hesitating, he looked at his desperate reflection in the pool, his softly glowing eyes revealing all the worry in his soul. The warrior lowered his feet into the pool, hoping for another miracle in his life; the cold water chilled his toes. Standing up, he waded to the deepest part of the pond, biting his lower lip.

Cloud could feel her, here. He said a silent prayer, then quickly lowered himself into the cold waters. It was a chilly burn, the water soaking into his clothes and causing him to shiver. He stayed as long as he could in that crouched position, the funny tingle of the Lifestream blessed waters wrapping around him. Cloud's lungs burned and he looked up towards his original perch; Aerith looked at him from the edge of the pool, sadly shaking her head and walking away. Feeling his oxygen was almost gone, he stood up, shoulders peeking from the waters as he drew heavy breaths. Cloud hurriedly made his way to the edge of the pond and got out, shivering horribly. _'Not my best idea...'_ He looked towards the door to the church, his dear friend's ghost giving him that nod, the one that said it would be okay. Then, she walked out the front door, disappearing.

Was she trying to reassure him? Cloud was used to sometimes seeing the apparition in the church when he visited. A vision that sometimes spoke back, but always listened. He wasn't sure if he was just crazy, or if it really was her, but he leaned towards the latter if just because it felt nicer to think that she was really hanging around. Slicking back his dripping bangs, the warrior took hold of the fruit bar and opened it with shivering hands and put it close to his lips; Cloud bit into it and noshed the soft bar.

"Blegh..." He tried not to gag. Somehow he got it down, then threw the rest of the fruit bar out of the large hole busted into the side of the church in frustration. Cloud held his knees as he shivered, covering his face in his wet pants as he clenched his jaw. "I don't want this. I don't want to eat people. I don't want to hunt Tif-" He cut off his mumbled words, trying to blank out the nightmares. _'There has to be some way...'_

Cloud stood up, still shivering terribly. _'Aerith thinks I'll be okay. I just gotta find a way to do...something. A cure, a way to stay me. Something. They're counting on me.'_ He slowly made his way out of the church, chilled to the bone as he made his way back home with a spring breeze occasionally coming to whip at his back. It was almost four in the morning when when he got back, and he decided to take a hot shower to banish the chill in his bones and to not let Tifa find out about his night wanderings; he wouldn't go back to bed tonight.

It'll be okay. He hoped for that at least.


	3. Children's Fears

The last few weeks had been enough confirmation outside of a transformation for Cloud. Between his senses becoming ever more sensitive, the silver trinket burning his fingers earlier in the day, the research he had been doing on the nights he was home, and the children's odd behavior towards him...When did Denzel ever try to avoid him? Of course the boy would have figured it out, he was the one who mentioned werewolves! Cloud sighed as he wondered what would become of he and his family.

This morning as he had gotten his clothing on, wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, Cloud had knocked off a piece of loose jewelry from the dresser onto the floor. He had stared at it, the silvery metal glinting in the sunlight that had been pouring into the room. It was a moment of truth to him, the one thing he had been avoiding testing out, as if by ignoring it nothing would happen. Everything would go on as usual, despite everything else that confirmed something was wrong with him. Kneeling down he had gone to scoop it up, only to be greeted by the sensation of hot iron on his skin. He had dropped the bracelet with a pained grunt and shook his hand. He had looked about, and with a few sniffs he located Denzel's scent nearby; he had quickly fetched his gloves to pick up the bracelet to put it back on the dresser.

He was certain Denzel had seen.

He stared down at his maps, not really paying attention to them as much as he was the folklore book open to the side of them. Cloud had been looking for either a cure or a way to control himself somehow when the inevitable occurred, and it seemed there were ways to go completely lucid during a transformation; the books just weren't sure how. All he knew was that the books said he would become an ill-tempered monster with few exceptions, and he was determined to be one of those exceptions if at all possible. He nibbled on a piece of jerky as he turned a page, engrossed in the book's knowledge. He hated not being in control of himself, and every time the thought crossed him the past flashed in his mind. He shuddered at the memories that momentarily invaded his mind, memories of the things he had done when he wasn't sane and under Sephiroth's control. Huffing through his nose, he again turned a page in the book, hoping to find something of use. He wondered how accurate the books were. They were folklore books, after all, and not an account by an actual werewolf.

Cloud was certainly worried, of course. The pictures in the books and the presumed werewolf that had attacked him almost a month ago painted a terrifying picture of what he could possibly look like during a Full Moon. He ran his fingers through his spiky hair anxiously as he thought about it; the great pain and especially the possibility of killing people out of a primal bloodlust was a worrisome thing to handle for the rest of his life. Still, he figured he'd find some way to cope; his family was counting on him. If he could overcome Sephiroth, this shouldn't stop him, either.

 _'Tweet tweet tweet. Tweeeeeeeet!'_ Cloud looked around, confused; he wondered where that high pitched sound was coming from, his ears perking. It was the second time today he had heard it, and since Tifa had left for her afternoon errands earlier Cloud had no one but the children to ask about the sound. He moved from the bar and took a few steps up the stairs quietly, trying to pinpoint the sound. It sounded again, and he took a few silent strides on the steps. Coming to the top of the stairwell, he located the source: the children's room, of course. _'Must be whatever they bought with the gil I gave them yesterday,'_ he thought, remembering that they had asked for some money to buy a little toy.

He cursed himself for absentmindedly giving the children gil without asking specifically for what, yet again. Yesterday he had been distracted by his thoughts, but almost a year ago he had been dead tired from a long distance delivery. They had come to him while he zoned out at his desk while trying to lay out another route, asking for a little money for a toy. He had complied in a mechanical fashion, grabbing bills out of his wallet, and continued on with his task. Not more than an hour later he had gone to check on them in their bedroom because of a funny scent reaching his nose, and everything had been covered in globs of brightly colored slime they had purchased from the store. Cloud had looked about in shock as the opaque gel coated the beds, walls, and the children themselves.

 _"What...the hell..."_ he had moaned out of his mouth, his eyes wide. Tifa was going to kill _him_.

The children had looked back at him from their little play fight, their faces splattered with yellow and green goo. They had frozen in place after they saw the look on his face. _"Um..."_ Marlene had begun.

The sound of footsteps from the master bedroom had come towards them as Cloud gawked and the children tried to come up with an excuse. _"Is everything alright—Oh my God, what have you two done?!"_ Tifa had been livid, her face panicked.

 _"Uh, Cloud gave us some money to buy a toy..."_ Denzel had mumbled. Tifa had then looked towards Cloud, the warrior slowly meeting her angry gaze with a pale face and a slack jaw. His eyes then traveled back to Denzel.

 _"...How much gil did I even give you? It's everywhere."_ How many little tubs could they have bought? _"There's no way you could have bought this much slime."_ He had still been a state of shock and disgust over the state of the room.

 _"It was on sale!"_ Marlene had chimed, as if that made it a little better. Tifa had grabbed the girl's squishy arm to take her to the bathroom; Cloud had put his hands to his sleepy face and moaned into them out of dread.

Cloud shuddered, remembering how much work it took to get the slime out of fabric and Denzel's hair, for that matter. He had almost resorted to cutting the boy's hair when he saw how mashed in it all was. Moving closer to their room, he pushed aside the little memory.

The door was slightly ajar, and he pushed it open the rest of the way. He locked eyes with a pale, shocked Denzel while Marlene blushed as she held her teddy bear. Cloud walked into the room, the children clearly nervous at his sudden appearance as they lounged on the far bed. He coughed. "...Was the toy you bought...a whistle?" Cloud asked with a raised brow. His arms were crossed over his chest.

Denzel slowly nodded his head, his sweaty hand wrapped around the dog whistle. Was the jig up? Was Cloud going to kill them to keep his secret safe? He held his breath in dread anticipation of what he would do next.

Cloud groaned and put a hand to his face as he looked down. "Okay, I know it was my fault for giving you money and not asking what kind of toy you were buying," he began before he moved his hand away from his face and giving an exasperated look as he brought his head up again, "but could you please play with that outside? It's driving me nuts, and I'm trying to focus on my maps." The children nodded, and Cloud smiled softly. "Thank you." He disappeared from the room, his footsteps falling further and further away. The children looked at each other.

"He heard it!" Denzel whispered. "Cloud could never hear those before." His fears had been confirmed over the last several weeks from observation. At this point, they just wanted to test every angle.

Marlene had a sad look on her face. "The stink bomb two weeks ago had him down on the ground. Tifa was worried he was gonna choke." She had set off one outside the garage doors while Cloud worked on his bike. The stench overpowered him quickly, despite not being a particularly powerful scent.

"I saw him drop some of Tifa's silver jewelry that fell on the ground this morning. He put his gloves on after that..." Denzel said with a look of devastation crossing his face. That was the biggest confirmation that Cloud was a werewolf. Cloud had gone to pick up a bracelet, only to tear his fingers from it as if it had stung him. The blond haired man had looked around, hoping he hadn't been noticed, then fetched his gloves to avoid skin contact with the metal.

Denzel stood up off the bed. "So, what do we do? Cloud's gotta know by now."

"I don't know. He wouldn't try to hurt us, would he?" Marlene held her bear tightly.

Denzel was silent for a minute, uncertain if the words Cloud uttered that one fateful night meant he would harm anyone who found out about his secret, including them. The Full Moon was coming up in a couple of days, and Cloud had been trying to act as if nothing was wrong. But he knew. He watched Cloud look around after the bracelet incident this morning, he knew he had been looking through his encyclopedia. Hell, he sneaked into Cloud's office just to see the folklore books he had borrowed from the library. He wondered if he knew that they knew.

During the nights Cloud was home, the boy would sneak over to the doorway of his office and watch him read those books with interest, mumbling in agreement to symptoms he'd been having, and sometimes, he would take walks in the middle of the night after he finally accepted what he had become. For what purpose, Denzel couldn't fathom yet. Several times he had to book it into his room, Cloud checking on them when Denzel had made too much noise, or perhaps if he had _smelled_ the child outside of his door.

What to do? Bravado was burning in his chest. He looked at Marlene, her sad, brown eyes searching his. Then he stared at the floor. The two of them had been wary of Cloud for nearly a month, and just as the warrior had put on a mask of normalcy so had they. It was Cloud after all, and it wasn't a Full Moon yet. Maybe he was still himself, Denzel concluded. He looked up and nodded. The impasse had to end.

"Maybe we should confront him." He put his lips to the whistle, silently blowing the little thing as hard as he could.

Marlene gasped. "He's gonna kill us! Stop it!" She tried reaching for the whistle but Denzel jerked away as he tooted.

It was too little, too late. The sound of footsteps pushing through the stairwell made it to their ears. Cloud came into sight, his ears covered and an annoyed look on his face that made Denzel stop mid-toot. Cloud took a few steps forward with his hand outstretched, and he motioned for the little whistle.

"Guys, this is too much...You're drivin' me crazy."

Denzel and Marlene looked at each other and then back at Cloud. The little boy fidgeted as he held the whistle. "Cloud, we um..." he looked down towards the floor. Cloud tilted his head, his face softening and conveying concern at the tone of Denzel's voice. He moved closer to the children. There was a tinge of fear in Marlene's eyes as he approached them; Cloud observed her worried eyes with a raised brow and tense jaw.

He sat on Denzel's bed, facing towards Marlene's bed on the far end of the room. "What is it, Denzel?"

The boy looked up into the eyes of his concerned guardian, the man leaning his elbows on his knees. "It's just...You seem kind of...different lately." Denzel shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"...Different?" Cloud narrowed his eyes.

"Y-yeah. You know..." His face was pale as ivory, and he put his head down as his courage waned. Marlene stood frozen as she leaned on the bed. Denzel was choking on his confrontation as he stood by the edge of Marlene's bed. He flinched as a hand landed on his shoulder softly, and it gently tugged him closer. He looked back up at Cloud, terrified, regretting his decision to broach the subject. The warrior had a serious look on his face as Denzel stood next to his right knee, his hand gently but firmly keeping him there.

"...Are you still worried about the wolf attack?" The wound had left no trace of ever existing on Cloud's arm.

 _'He's gonna kill us...'_ The boy sighed. "Yeah." His knees began to shake.

Cloud slowly nodded, and Denzel noticed that he was subtly sniffing the air. He could probably smell their terror. "I see.." He looked between the two. "You've been...watching me, haven't you?" His voice was deadly serious.

Marlene trembled. "Cloud..." She squeezed her teddy bear, her face partially covered by its fuzzy head, as if it could protect her.

"I should have known you two would be watching me from the beginning," he said, a small chuckle leaving his lips. "You're the one that watched me this morning, weren't you Denzel?" The boy squeaked and nodded, his eyes blue orbs full of fear. "I couldn't hold the jewelry in my fingers." Cloud lifted his left hand and showed the small burn marks left from the metal, looking Denzel in the eyes for a few moments with an unreadable face before turning and pointing to Marlene. "You let that stink-bomb off near the garage entrance. I recognized your footsteps before the smell hit me." The girl leaned harder into the bed, letting out a worried little moan. She knew she was unable to leave the room; Cloud could reach the door quicker than she could.

Cloud sighed and put his hand through his soft, spiky hair. "I...honestly don't know how the hell this is possible," he said as he leaned back, propping his arms near his back to keep his recline. His eyes were downcast and the worry on his face was apparent. "But...I'm going to take precautions. I don't want any of you harmed by me, if it's true." His serious demeanor had been replaced with anxiety, a feeling the children held moments before. The tense aura of the room seemed to dissipate, at least.

Denzel blinked. "So...you aren't gonna kill us?" His hands rested on the bed Cloud rested on.

Cloud scoffed as he eyed Denzel. "Why would I do something like that?"

"'Cause werewolves gotta keep their secret safe," Marlene said. She put a hand to her mouth immediately afterward.

Cloud raised a brow at the girl, a small, wry grin forming on his face. He remembered now a small passage in the encyclopedia. "You're right. Maybe I should..." he joked sarcastically. It did not translate well to the children.

"Cloud!" Marlene cried out. Denzel backed away from the bed Cloud occupied, bumping into the far bed. The warrior snorted at the reactions then shook his head. They should know him better than that, but with the situation thrown into their lives it could be forgiven, he thought.

"C'mon, you two and Tifa are the last people I'd wanna see harmed...Please, just don't tell anyone, especially not Tifa. I'm...not ready. I wasn't ready for this talk with you two. I can trust you with this secret, can't I?" He gave the children a pleading look as he hunched over, his elbows back on his knees. "At least until I'm ready to, if it's anything at all." He couldn't help his desire to keep things secret, but this time he intended to tell Tifa, she deserved that much. Even if it was a little late...He just had to make sure.

Denzel looked up at his hero, the man asking two children to keep his secret safe. "...I promise. But if you kill anyone, I'm going straight to Tifa! And I'm gonna put silver in your coffee!" The boy put his curled pinky up in the air, and Cloud slowly entwining his pinky with his, followed by Marlene.

"Fair enough," Cloud said with a smile before suddenly scooping the children up in a hug as they let their guards down. They squeaked in surprise, but returned the affection moments later. "I'm...sorry, I worried you two like that," he said as he slowly released them onto the bed, flanking him. His arms were draped upon their shoulders, his hands gently holding their arms.

"So, what're you gonna do? The Full Moon is almost here. My encyclopedia said you'll probably try and kill anything you can get your hands on." Denzel kicked at the air casually. Marlene looked up at him expectantly.

"I'm going to hide out somewhere I can't get out of easily," Cloud said slowly. "I was thinking an old motel deep on the other side of the Midgar ruins. Sector 8 should do it." He thought for a moment. "I'll say it's for an overnight delivery..."

"You've checked it out already?" Marlene asked.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. It's far enough away and the ruins there are a pain to navigate by foot, even for me. Then there's an abandoned motel there, it should keep me busy long enough if anything happens." He swallowed, the conversation was surreal. He snapped out of his thoughts as the sound of the bar door opening greeted his ears.

"Guys! I'm home!" It was Tifa.

"Remember, not a word." The children nodded solemnly.

* * *

Cloud paced in the dark, lonely room he had chosen in the gloomy depths of the Midgar ruins, wearing nothing but his boxers, not wanting to ruin his clothing. The articles were neatly folded on the other side of the queen sized bed, his belts and black apron hanging from the dusty bed post. He was anxious and felt stupid at the same time, like some sort of lunatic that enjoyed roaming chilly ruins in his boxers. He sighed as he glanced at his phone. 10:51pm. He paced some more, wanting confirmation one way or another.

Maybe it was all suggestion. The dreams, the wound, the silver...The silver is what made him doubt his skepticism the most. That totally wasn't normal at all. At least the kids agreed to be quiet about it all, and he had been convinced to buy them some ice cream during the weekend for it; they had talked some more about his secret, trying to reassure him as only children could. Cloud absently scratched at one of the many scars that marred his torso, wondering how much longer he had to wait until it would start, and he would become some drooling, human eating monstrosity.

 _'This is stupid...'_ he thought, sitting down on the old rusty bed and sighing heavily as the springs protested beneath him. He looked up at the wall, a large mirror greeting him with his reflection. His gently glowing eyes reflected back at him in the darkness, but he noticed something else...Cloud lifted himself from the bed, crossing the room and leaning on the wall next to the mirror; the dresser barricaded the door in the windowless room.

Adjusting his eyesight a little, he took a look at his ear. Rubbing it with his fingers, he noticed it seemed almost pointed and slightly deformed, and he frowned worriedly. Pulling at the side of his mouth, an enlarged canine pulsed in his gums, the pink flesh dribbling a little blood onto his tongue; finally he looked towards his eyes, and the sclera seemed to be darkening, and dark circles grew under his eyes. Finished with his dreaded inspection he turned away, not wanting to see any more, his eyes wide with anxiety. He had a heat burning and growing in his chest and his fingertips ached as he nervously flexed the digits. He could feel his quickening heartbeat as his breath hitched in his throat. _'...This is it.'_ He closed his eyes tightly as he waited for the inevitable, hoping to Gaia that he didn't kill anyone tonight.

He suddenly doubled over from a shock-wave of pain and his abdomen seized up violently, his muscles felt like the were on fire as they warped and grew. Cloud fell to his side while he grimaced and shouted in agony as his bones warped and cracked into new positions they shouldn't be in, as his skull flattened and lengthened and grew sharp, flesh rending teeth. Panting heavily, his voice box warped from grunted screams into deeper throaty growls as fur and thick hide grew upon his body, save his new, dark snouted face and digits; the sounds he uttered caused him to panic further, and a feeling of helplessness he hadn't felt in years rushed into his racing heart. _'I don't want this...!'_

His ears continued to lengthen and rise to the top of his head, increasing his headaches until they finally reached their new resting place; they twitched erratically from the waves of pain that traveled through them. He watched in horror as his hands snapped into some swollen hybrid of a paw and a hand, the deadly claws moist from emerging out of his swollen fingers as if formed from lengthened bone. Tough pads formed on the underside of his new hands and he instinctively flexed them as they finished; his feet responding to the transformation in much the same way, curling them as they cramped and grew and the digits transformed into something suitable for fast movement. His arms and legs lengthened, causing him to snarl and pant in pain; the fur growing on his limbs was less dense than on his torso, and his growing muscles could easily be made out if there was light in the room. He felt his ankles pop and crunch, growing with his legs and bringing more helpless misery to the despondent man.

A pain traveled into his pelvis as he stumbled to stand, discomfort causing him to attempt to relieve it by standing. He heard the tearing of his only article of clothing as his leg muscles thickened. The boxer band began to dig into his furry hips before he slashed it away with a claw hurriedly, the itchy discomfort of cloth on fur finally dulling. With a final crunch as his spine corrected itself, Cloud let out an inhuman scream, blacking out from the stress and pain of the transformation. His last memory was a final look into the mirror as he stood on his hind legs, glancing at the monster he had become in such a short period of time.

* * *

_**Pacing, pacing...The room was so small, and he wanted to go out so badly. Something blocked his way out. He began shoving the lightweight furniture out of his way, and clawing at the pathetic door that would release him into the world. A hole formed in the door, and he gnawed at it, enlarging it with his bites. The hole was just big enough for his head to slip through, and now all he had to do was rip the rest of the door to shreds to get out of his new lair. There were scents, scents of old carpet and dust and a distant scent of a sickly human coming from somewhere. That scent interested him the most. He wanted to explore, he really wanted to hunt, he wanted to...He thought hard, his leathery brows wrinkling together. He paused at his work on the door as his brain churned. He took his head out of the hole and blinked.** _

_**Pack. Family. Be with a pack. Where was his pack? He tilted his head, and put a paw to his face.** _

_**Think harder. 'What am I doing?' He shook his large head. He felt like he was in a dream. 'Who am I?'** _

_**'Wolf...Right?'** _

_**A certain scent reached his snout, different than the ones beyond the door, and he traveled to the source. He jumped on to the springy old bed, a small snap coming from beneath him; there was something on it. Human clothing...His clothing. It smelled like himself, didn't it? That meant it was his. He took a long whiff of the shirt and pants, his nose lingering on them. It smelled like someone else, too. A claw came to inspect the clothing further, lifting the article by a hole in its side. A woman, children...scents billowed out. The scent of flowers...? He shook his head again.** _

_**'Who am I?'** _

_**'I...'** _

_**'I...am...'** _

_**'Cloud...Cloud. My name is Cloud.'** _

_**He collapsed onto his clothing, rubbing his head into it sadly as he held them tightly in a pile to concentrate the scents. His family. He remembered just enough.** _

* * *

The two children whispered in their room as Tifa shuffled to her bed, the woman not thinking anything wrong with the overnight delivery Cloud said he had to do. She had been curious, considering he had told her recently that he'd rather keep away from distant jobs for the time being and he certainly never did deliveries during the night.

 _"A delivery, tonight? Where do you have to go?"_ She had inquired.

Cloud looked down. _"A village on North Continent. Said they really need the delivery bad."_

Tifa had stared at him, thinking of any possible thing that it could be an ulterior motive for, or excuse. She really couldn't think of anything he would be up to, so she just nodded. _"Well, just be careful, then."_ She had flashed him a soft smile, and Cloud blinked several times, staring at her as if unsure she really had said that.

He gave her a hug right after, but it felt different than his usual ones; in fact, it reminded her of the ones he would give after he returned home after defeating Sephiroth again. Searching hugs to make sure everything was alright, that he was forgiven for his abandonment. Was he searching for reassurance, she wondered? Reassurance for what? Was the route dangerous? Regardless she had returned the hug happily, then gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. _"I'm sure everything will be alright, Cloud."_

Cloud had given her a gentle smile, as if her words were what he had needed to hear from her at that very moment. _"Yeah."_

The kids knew what the "delivery" he spoke of actually was, and the anxiety from it kept them up; they were worried for Cloud, and if he would return the same person they loved after tonight. Marlene shifted in her bed, looking over at Denzel.

"I hope Cloud's okay."

Denzel nodded. "I hope so, too."

"Do you think he'll be back in the morning?"

"Yeah." He was more certain this time around.


	4. Zoo Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyy a lil smut at the end

"Uuuurgh..." Cloud moaned, his body tired and aching. Where was he? He looked around at his environment, momentarily confused. Looking down, he noticed his face had been buried in his clothing. He was laying on an old bed on his stomach, naked. Rolling onto his back and sitting up, he recognized the remains of his boxers strewed about the front of the room like confetti. He picked a piece up and lifted it to face level, letting it fall back to the carpet after a moment. He let out a morning sniffle.

The room wasn't particularly trashed, a hole in the wall near the mirror and where the dresser hit the drywall, but he noticed the door had almost been breached. Cloud swallowed, standing up gingerly and walking towards the door, the dresser had been flung towards the wall last night. He laid a hand on the large claw marks that marred the door, then placed one of his fingers over a large hole that peeked into the dark hallway beyond. Still moist teeth marks surrounded the head sized hole. Sighing, Cloud tried to think back. Why didn't he continue to rip the door to shreds? What stopped him?

Cloud closed his eyes, thinking. It was like a dream. He was going to tear the door down, but something stopped him, a smell. The smell of them, on his clothing. He looked back at the pile on the bed, walking towards them. He picked the articles up and breathed deeply, the smells not quite as strong as they were last night. Did he remember last night? He squinted in the dark room, remembering pieces here and there. The pain he went through was bad enough to make him black out, but he remembered the image staring back at him in the mirror, and he shuddered. He hoped no one ever saw him like that, _ever_. Cloud rubbed his face and let out a little groan, the monochrome image burned into his mind.

He felt like a monster despite not having done anything particularly monstrous last night. It was a dull, aching feeling in his chest, and a terrible doubt swirling in his mind. What if it was a fluke? What if his control over the beast inside him was fleeting? Cloud bit his lip, then lifted his hand to stare at it. Claws ripped through the tips last night. What if they tore through Marlene, Denzel, Tifa? He shuddered. He didn't want to be a dangerous beast that could rip through his family like they were tender baby chocobos.

"What would Zack do..."

Cloud sometimes asked himself that if he was feeling unsure, if his doubts overwhelmed his mind. What would Zack do in this situation? Cloud let out a short chuckle. Zack wouldn't give up on himself, that's for sure. He wouldn't stop trying to control himself, either. He could practically hear his best friend cheering him on, that everything would be okay, and that if he could throw off Sephiroth, this would be nothing. Zack would believe in him. Aerith certainly had at the church.

Cloud took in a deep breath, then exhaled sharply. "No time to be pitying myself." He assured himself he'd make it, he had to.

He began dressing himself, his clothing wrinkled slightly and still a little moist from werewolf drool here and there by his compunction to sniff them during the night for comfort and focus. His pants felt strange without any sort of underwear on, but he ignored it; he could always put on new ones at the house after a needed hot shower. He adjusted his belt, and collected his phone; reading the time on the front it was 6:30am. No voice mail messages, no texts. He put his socks and boots back on, the morning chill easing from his feet. Looking in the mirror, his eyes were slightly bloodshot and his hair fluffed like a rabid chocobo. He put his hands through his locks in an attempt to tame them with some success. He looked about the room one last time, deciding he'd need to reinforce the next room he used just to make sure nothing happened. Last night was a close enough call for him. He stood still a moment, thinking back. He distinctly remembered smelling humans nearby. What if he had gotten out? He supposed Denzel would have had to tell Tifa his secret.

Entering the pitch-black hallway, Cloud made his way towards the stairwell that would lead him to Fenrir, the bike hidden behind another building on the other side of the abandoned road, just in case there were any scavengers about during the night. A noise made him pause and stare...Someone was coming up the stairs, noisily. Two people. He looked about, finding a custodian's closet, silently entering the room and creaking the door open just enough to see when they finally passed his position. Soon enough, two voices came into focus.

"...I told you, I heard a scream from here last night, man!" The voice was excited.

"Maybe it was a druggie ODin' off some of the new juice?" This voice was older.

"I dunno. Pretty freaky, though. Should we be here, after that?"

"Might be some decent scrap, Sector 8 hasn't been picked clean. Whatever was screaming is long gone, nothin' to worry about! Boss'll be happy if we bring back some valuables."

The two men continued their chat as they went down the hallway Cloud came from, passing by his hiding spot. Their flashlights littered light across the hallway, one beam focused on the door that led to the room he had used last night. _'Crap,'_ Cloud thought, watching. The one man entered the room and a soft beam of light shone through the big hole in the door, the man letting out a whistle as he observed the claw marks on the other side of the door, his hand on the moist, jagged wood.

"Musta been a trapped monster!" The word 'monster' made Cloud wince. He _wasn't_ a monster. Was he? He had an entry in Denzel's encyclopedia now, however...

"Hey man! There's fabric all over the floor, too!" Cloud's mind went back to his furry body making his boxers all but explode.

"Freaky. Ya think it had itself a snack?"

Cloud had heard enough. He creaked the door open and swiftly made his way towards the stairwell to the sounds of shuffling feet and soft lights hitting his backside. A shout made it to his ear, but he continued his sprint, maneuvering over the rail and falling the three stories to the bottom of the motel, the drop a cakewalk to the seasoned, enhanced warrior. He ran outside into the dimmed light of the sector, quickly making it across the street to his bike. He jammed the keys in and revved, speeding off an abandoned road that would lead towards Edge. Looking back, Cloud didn't see any pursuers.

 _'It was supposed to be abandoned, damn it!'_ He sighed heavily, blasting quickly down the road towards home. If they saw him, it could complicate things, maybe. Maybe not, who took scavengers seriously? But if they ever visited the bar, it might really complicate things. He was supposed to be on delivery, not hiding in old motels. _'Tifa...How will you cope with this?'_ Broken one way, and now broken another way, it seemed; Cloud wasn't going to get a break. He accelerated, the road turning towards the northeast, a view of the craggy beaches of the Midgar shore coming into view.

The mornings were a favorite time for Cloud. Even now, the baby blue sky with white and rose pink clouds calmed his inner self, a fleeting peace found after sinister nights and before the bustle of the sunny day. Whenever he had a delivery where he would have to sleep away from his home, he would wake up in time to watch the sunrise. The rays of light he bathed in always felt like they were burning away his past sins. Could they feel like that, now, though? He didn't know.

Finally home, Cloud brought the bike into the garage, making sure to shut it off outside and wheel Fenrir inside to not have the noise levels wake the neighbors up from the echoing. As he went to the door that lead to the bar, the smell of bacon reached his nose. He almost drooled from the smell of the cooking meat, his teeth clenched in some semblance of a smile. He reasoned that he was just terribly hungry, shaking the feral sensations from his mind. Opening the door, he was greeted by Tifa with a hug that he returned warmly, happy to see her.

 _'Would she be happy to see me, too, if she knew what I was up to?'_ A frown formed on his face.

"What's wrong, Cloud?" Tifa looked up at him with a curious expression on her face as she periodically checked the frying meat.

"Hm. Just thinking about last night. Missed you and the kids." It wasn't a lie, he really did.

Tifa smiled at him and went back to cooking. "I'll have some breakfast ready soon, Cloud. How about you relax for now?" Cloud nodded and headed upstairs, ready for a shower. His footsteps were heavy and slow, his body still sore from last night. He hoped hot water could shake it off.

As he turned the corner two warm objects nearly knocked him off his feet, and he looked down to the children hugging his legs in greeting and worry. Marlene hopped up and down, and Denzel grabbed his hand, ushering him into their room. Cloud sat on Denzel's bed, the two children sitting on either side of him expectantly. Denzel chimed his query first.

"S-so, how was it? Did you...?" His eyes were shimmering up at his hero, worried about the unseen events last night.

Cloud put a hand to his face and rubbed his tired eyes. "It hurt a lot." Was he really going to have to deal with this every month for the rest of his life, he wondered?

"You didn't hurt anybody?" Marlene asked. She put a hand on his knee, her little brows knitting together.

He shook his head. "No."

"...Do you remember anything?" Denzel asked, frowning.

Cloud's head was leaning back, looking up at the ceiling. He pulled his head down slightly, thinking. "Yeah. Yeah, I do." He looked down at the floorboards. "I remember...thinking about everyone... and that brought me back a bit, like I woke up in a dream." He swallowed hard, remembering. He wasn't totally himself, but it was as if he was on top of the wolf and not the other way around.

"Then what did you do?" Denzel had tucked his knees up, his face laying on them.

"Just fell asleep on the bed." He shrugged, not having much to add.

Marlene giggled. "You're a boring werewolf!"

Cloud sighed, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. He had a shy smile on his face from Marlene's remark. "I'd rather be boring, in that case." He looked at both the children, a piercing look in his blue eyes. "You two were good for Tifa while I was gone, right?" Now it was his turn to grill.

At once, they both spoke. "Yeah!"

"Not a peep of trouble?"

Marlene huffed. "We were too worried about you to cause trouble, Cloud."

Cloud nodded, patting them on their backs. "Good. I better get cleaned up. I'll be home the next couple of days, it'll be just you two, Tifa and I."

The two looked at each other and back at Cloud. "We wanna go to the zoo today!"

Cloud blinked. "Is that a good idea?"

Denzel shrugged.

* * *

"Wow, Cloud, I don't think any of the animals like you here..." Tifa said, somewhat amused at her sweetheart's predicament. As they approached the next animal enclosure, one for a rare kind of four-eared rabbit from Mideel, the small group of creatures hopped away into their dens; Denzel and Marlene groaned with disappointment, then looked back at Cloud with a frown. He scratched the back of his head and shrugged, not being able to help the situation.

He sort of wished he could catch one though, just for fun... _'What do they taste like...? What the hell is wrong with me?'_

Just about every enclosure he came too close to resulted in the captive animals either skittering away or challenging him, and in some cases, he dreaded admitting, he wanted to take them on for it. A small heat had risen up in his chest as a lion attempted to stare him down, the fresh werewolf clenching the metal bars and letting a low growl escape his throat, the sound surprising him; it wasn't a human imitation. Fortunately Tifa hadn't noticed. The children had distracted her at that moment with another enclosure. He had taken a few deep breaths to steady himself, the heat in his chest dissipating.

"Guess not. Kids seem to be enjoying themselves, though." He gave her a lazy smile, walking towards the next enclosure, the children running towards it. Cloud sniffed the air as the wind blew through the trees; the scent belonged to wolves and he stiffened slightly. Walking up to the enclosure, the wolves looked at him curiously, then went back to their business as if he didn't exist. Denzel pushed himself up on the enclosure bars, looking down at the environment set up for the animals. He grinned mischievously at Cloud, then towards Tifa. Cloud frowned.

"Hey, Cloud! The wolves don't seem to have a problem with you!" He gave him a wink as Cloud's cheeks burned bright pink and he frowned harder back at the boy. He tried to mouth "Cut it out!" to Denzel as Marlene giggled at the sly wink to Cloud's secret.

"Seems that way, doesn't it?" Tifa said, suddenly behind Cloud. He took a sharp inhale of air, and she grinned, rubbing his spiky locks. "Our Cloudy Wolf."

"...Cloudy Wolf?" Cloud moaned, Denzel and Marlene delighted at the nickname. His hand rested on his hip, indignant, as he tried to hide his embarrassment from the woman. Tifa wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned her head on Cloud's shoulder, a small chuckle coming from her pink lips. The scent of her hair floated to his nose, flowery and intoxicating, his hand creeping to her waist to match her. Tifa gave Cloud a little squeeze, gently pushing the side of her hip into his. The children wrinkled their nose at the sight of cooties and went back to ogling the wolves as their guardians watched on. Cloud felt more at peace in this moment than he had all week, and he savored it, the feeling of love and family, even if he had yet to broach a certain subject with Tifa.

"Mmm...You okay, Cloud?" Tifa was looking up at him, her red eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

He motioned his eyes slightly downward towards her. "Yeah. Why?"

"You always have that far away look in your eyes when you're thinking hard about something...Even when you're smiling." She put her free hand up to her mouth, as if she would stifle a giggle.

Cloud looked down at her, giving her a dorky smile. "Guess I can't help it, can I?"

* * *

Flipping through Denzel's monster encyclopedia, he went back to the 'transmissions' entry for werewolves, just in case he missed anything. He read the entry: _'Werewolves transmit their disease or curse through saliva, mucus and blood during transformations, the only time they are infectious. Open wounds in contact with these bodily fluids will transfer to the victim; claws are usually infectious from remnant fluid.'_ So only infectious when he changed, he reasoned. He scratched the back of his head, having read that werewolves could eventually change at will, only being forced to change during the Full Moon. Cloud's mind went back to yesterday with the zoo and the lion, the heat building up in his chest as if he would rip out of his own skin right there in the middle of the day. _'How embarrassing.'_

He rose up from Denzel's bed, replacing the book back on the nightstand. Marlene and Denzel were at a friend's house for the night, and Cloud had helped Tifa with the bar most of the day, wanting to tell her, knowing she would be there for him...Or so he hoped. Every time he wanted to say it the words would get stuck in his throat, or a customer would barge in when he gained enough courage to say it. Tifa had always been his pillar, despite the Geostigma, despite the abandonment...He promised he'd never do that again. Because of Tifa and the family they had, he'd learn to relax, to laugh and smile more. Still, a nagging doubt buried itself in him; this wasn't fatal like Geostigma, but he'd certainly be a liability to them if he couldn't either find a good hiding place or stay lucid during his monthly transformation, if he could keep it to one a month. His mind again went back to the zoo, and the trouble that could have possibly caused.

Leaving the childrens' room, he made his way to his bedroom, Tifa greeting him on the bed. She shyly looked up at him, her deep ruby eyes drawing him closer. Removing his T-shirt, he shuffled into bed and under the covers, turning his lamp off. Cloud turned around, embracing Tifa under the blankets, his calloused hands traveling over her soft skin, her scent flooding his nose and sending chills down his spine. His new trouble had certain perks at least, and being able to smell Tifa fully was one of them. Tifa shifted closer, her fingers trailing over his chest, making his breath hitch in his throat as she grazed her nails over his skin. She smiled in the darkness, looking into the only thing she could make out; Cloud's glowing eyes.

"Hey," Tifa whispered, "you had something you wanted to tell me earlier, right?"

Cloud gulped and shifted his eyes downward. "Maybe..."

"What was it?"

He instinctively knew his revelation would ruin the mood. Just one more night where everything was normal between them would be enough for him. Shaking his head as if to deny the query, he looked back up at Tifa, his eyes gentle, a hand pushing a stray hair from Tifa's face. He rubbed her cheek with his thumb, and brought his face closer to hers, moving his hands into warm brown hair. He gave her a kiss that Tifa happily gave back, his tongue pushing through after a few moments. Her mouth was sweet and heavy, and as he probed she caught his tongue and sucked it. He let out a grunt when she was finished, parting and giving her a lusty smile he knew she couldn't see, but he couldn't help.

"Naughty," he said in a low, husky voice.

She giggled and brought a hand up to Cloud's face, lazily tracing his jawline, then tracing his soft lips as they parted her own. He softly latched onto the finger playfully with his teeth, giving it a small lick. Tifa withdrew her finger and giggled again, Cloud smiling as he shifted on top of her, a warm glow in his chest that had nothing to do with werewolves, despite feeling like a ravenous wolf at the moment. She mewled in anticipation, tracing her nails on his back. He began to grind on her as he licked her neck near her pulse point, savoring the taste of her skin.

Cloud shuddered as her nails grazed his back, and he began gently nipping at her neck slowly, her skin smooth and soft. He looked up towards her face, his hot breath on her neck, and she let out a little moan, eyes closed, oblivious to the feral, lusty glint in his eyes. Tifa unbuttoned her nightshirt, giving him the view he desired; Cloud came to her shoulder and began sucking softly on the skin, a little gasp escaping her lips when he sucked harder, one of her hands raising to grab the hair on the back of his head. He would make sure she enjoyed tonight for all the hell he was probably going to put her through later on, as if he could ever make it up to Tifa.

Her nails digged into his scalp and lower back, and he caught himself before he snarled. It felt _good_ , but he couldn't allow himself to make any noises that might come off as...wrong. Cloud busied himself by tracing his hand down her chest, feeling her buck as he grazed her belly with the tips of his fingers. He lowered his hand into her panties and started to rub, watching her writhe in pleasure underneath him as he fondled her. The scents being dredged up made a level of control slip. He shifted his body weight a little then lowered his head to suck on her pert nipple as he continued to pleasure her.

He continued on, listening to her breaths grow quicker and harsher as he rubbed her and lapped and nipped at her breasts, his name on her lips now as she pleaded through that chant to please not stop, rolling her hips against his hand. She moaned loudly as she reached her climax, grinding herself on his hand and grabbing at the bed sheets as she slowly came to from her bliss. Cloud smirked before yanking off her panties and then pulling down his pajama pants, but he paused a second to get a sample of her scent. He shuddered from the scent, the pheromones that had an effect on his usual, enhanced sense of smell were churning in his brain; an animalistic desire to mate thundering through his body now.

He gave himself a few strokes as he soaked in the sight of Tifa laying naked beneath him, her breasts quivering with every breath she took as she experienced the warm afterglow in her nether region. Cloud wasn't going to let her off just yet. He had to mark her. Tifa was _his_ mate, and those strange males that go into the bar better get that through their heads quick. He pushed himself into her slowly, groaning at the delicious friction as he eased into her. He felt her legs wrap around his waist and he gave a few pumps of his hips after adjusting his hands on either side of Tifa.

_'Mine. My territory...Stop...'_

He took in a heavy breath to clear away the beast's influence, then leaned towards his lover's mouth to kiss her deeply, slowly setting up his pace and enjoying the moan that he caught with his mouth. Cloud then leaned his lips towards Tifa's ear, making sure to avoid the silver stud she placed on either lobe, and whispered his feelings before quickening the pace.

"I love you, Tifa."


	5. Fearful Truth

The next few days had been uneventful, and Cloud and Tifa's lovely night hadn't lead to Cloud confessing to her his secret, despite his desire to do so; it never felt like the right time, never felt like it could leave his mouth. The warrior wondered how he could even utter the words to her, always stuttering until he said something that had nothing to do with werewolves.

"You've been acting kind of strange lately, Cloud. I know you wanted to tell me something earlier in the week..." Tifa said as she began making breakfast.

Cloud almost choked on his coffee. Swallowing it down, he shook his head nervously. "...W-well, I..." The sleepy warrior looked down into his drink, staring at his rippling reflection in the light brown pool.

"Hm?" Her back was to him as she cracked some eggs into her pan.

"...I think I might have to replace the water heater, it's been sputtering," he lied, scowling at his cowardice. _'I can't keep this crap up.'_

"Oh, you're kidding! But, is that really what's been on your mind?" Tifa pressed, not quite buying into his words. He knew that tone of voice.

Cloud shrugged, even though she couldn't see it. "It's a big purchase," he said stoically.

Tifa sighed. "I see." The delivery boy could tell she wasn't believing a damn word, just pretending to get it over with. "...Do you want anything else with your breakfast?" Tifa was studying his response now.

She had made bacon and eggs, and that was enough for him these days. He wondered how long she had noticed that he didn't ask for toast anymore, or pancakes; he never took Tifa for a fool, but he knew she couldn't guess why he wasn't interested in the foods he used to happily eat. It was just too crazy, even for him in the beginning. "No thanks, Teef."

He still didn't know how Tifa hadn't observed the burn mark where she laid her silver stud against his skin, considering it was quite visible on his exposed chest. Or maybe she did, and she just didn't say anything. It was still healing, the mark tiny and brown, and itchy as hell. She had laid her head on his chest until he couldn't take the pain anymore as he bit his lip and gripped the mattress sheet, feigning a need for the bathroom. Cloud had checked his chest while there, the mark aching and dry. When he had returned to bed, she was fortunately laying on her back, the risk from the silver reduced considerably.

He drove back towards Edge in the twilight, after taking some packages to Kalm and Healen Lodge that needed delivery earlier in the day. The short deliveries were nice, they paid enough and kept him busy and on the lookout for any place that he could use as his next hiding spot. Cloud had decided that the edge of the Midgar Wastes near the mountains might be the safest place to hide; humans rarely came out there and there was plenty of space to roam. He noted a cavern he could hide his things in, hidden by sparse mountain flora. Cloud had stopped Fenrir as he approached the hole in the cliff face, dismounting and coming to check the cavern out. It was wide and large enough to fit his bike in it to hide from any passerby that happened to be crazy enough to come out this far in the Wastes. Satisfied, he made a mental note of the location and took note of any landmarks before driving off again.

He wondered if he should go out there some night to test himself, understanding it was a definite risk no matter what, if he could find a way to change voluntarily. But he reasoned that if he could just keep lucidity he wouldn't be such a danger to others. The first time was complete agony, but he gained his composure within the hour, or so it seemed. The lore books said it would become easier and less painful as time went on, and he hoped it was true. The pain was the worst part by far and what lead to him losing himself in the first place. The animal instincts that now resided in him took over after his blackout, before he recovered.

It wasn't that lucidity was a magic button that made him a safe and cuddly fur ball, but it kept the terrifying desires of the monster inside him in check mostly he had noticed. Cloud noted the feelings were similar to being very hungry or aroused; a weakening of day to day self control. He was still himself somewhere in there, but part of him wanted to chase something down with his bare claws and teeth. Even as a human, sometimes the sight of a running human or animal would stir something inside him, though easily squelched. Cloud wondered if it could be relieved by doing certain activities the wolf would do, as if to compromise.

His mind returned to his current task as he returned home in the evening; finding a good time and place to tell Tifa his new problem, and hoping she would be there for him yet again. How much had he asked of her in such a short span of time? When could he properly give back what she had given? He greeted Tifa with a hug as he left the garage, his facial expression vacant and Tifa giving him one of her inquiring looks, knowing that face of his when he was troubled.

"Cloud? You okay?" She raised a brow at him, waiting for an answer. His behavior lately had her suspicious. He always seemed to want to say something to her, but wouldn't.

"Mm." He kissed her forehead, as if it would quiet her curiosity.

She chuckled, smiling at the gesture. "If you say so..." Tifa turned away, towards her dinner preparation. Cloud sniffed the air, and smelled roasting beef. His mouth watered; Tifa's pot roasts were always welcome after a day of deliveries, werewolf or not.

Snapping out of his thoughts and damning himself for not saying what was on his mind, he retreated upstairs and knocked on the childrens' bedroom door. "It's me." Cloud said to the two children on the other side of the door, and let himself in. Marlene and Denzel looked up from their homework, giving Cloud a smile as they left their small table and hugged him. He squeezed them back then pat their shoulders, his face suddenly serious. Marlene put her hands on her hips, giving a stern look of her own.

"You haven't told Tifa yet, have you?"

"Been meaning to." Cloud blushed and looked down and to the side. "I...don't know how to broach the subject with her."

"What's stopping you, Cloud?" Denzel asked lightheartedly, unsure what could stop someone like him. He beat Sephiroth twice, but he was afraid of Tifa? "It's just Tifa."

Cloud sighed and closed his eyes. "Guess I'm just scared. What if she kicks me out? I could understand if she did that..." He rubbed the back of his neck, anxiety plastered all over his face. _'She'd have every right to, with kids in the house...'_

The children shook their heads. "Tifa wouldn't! Even if she tried, we wouldn't let her." Marlene moved her chin up in a defiant pose. Denzel smiled and nodded enthusiastically at her statement.

Cloud looked back at the children with an anxious smile, moved by their care for him. "Thank you. But, I need to find the right time to tell Tifa. And the longer I wait, the worse it's gonna be."

"Tell me what, Cloud?" A melodious voice sounded behind him, and he froze, his face turning beet red. The children looked at each other, then up at the mortified Cloud, and then to Tifa. They stood next to Cloud, the spiky haired man slowly turning to face her, his blue eyes wide and his face as red as could be. Tifa looked at him with concern, stepping closer. "...You aren't sick again, are you?" Her brows came together.

Cloud's voice croaked. "Kind...of." He looked down, unable to face her.

Tifa's eyes widened. "It's not Geostigma again, is it?" She instinctively went for his left arm, looking it up and down. "Is this what you wanted to tell me the other night?" He nodded softly in response.

"Teef...It's not Geostigma. It's..." He bit his lip, unable to say it. His hand was visibly shaking in Tifa's grasp, the warrior paralyzed with fear in front of someone he loved. Marlene looked up at him, a frown on her face. She looked towards Tifa, and she looked down at the little girl.

"Tifa, Cloud's a werewolf now. It's why all the animals at the zoo didn't like him." Marlene said it in such a way that it seemed like nothing to the child.

Tifa looked down at the little girl with a frown, and then back up to Cloud, the blond breathing quickly and looking at her like a beat child. "A...a werewolf? I...thought they didn't exist..." He caught it, a small whiff of fear.

"I was wrong. That damned thing that attacked me..." He momentarily eyed his left arm.

She shook her head. "But...It's been over a month, aren't you supposed to...?" Her frown deepened. Cloud wasn't the best at hiding things, but this was so out there for her she could understand how she didn't pick up that this was what was wrong earlier. Things started to click in her head as she awaited his answer, all the clues dropped the past month...

He slowly nodded. "I did. Deep in the Midgar Ruins, away from others as best I could," he whispered, avoiding eye contact again. His voice was quiet and grim.

Tifa gasped and dropped Cloud's arm, hands to her mouth, eyes wide. He looked at her as she gasped, and it pained Cloud; her of all people looking at him like that, her scent so terribly fearful. He felt bile in his throat.

"You didn't...kill...anyone, did you...?"

Cloud shook his head, his face still red. "No."

Denzel chimed in. "...You aren't mad, are you Tifa?"

"How long have they known?" she whispered, motioning towards the children, hurt and fear growing in her voice.

"Since before I believed it myself," Cloud said with a shrug. "I didn't mean for them to find out..."

"We confronted him, he's too scared to say it himself," Denzel said. Cloud gave him a wayward glance, then looked back at Tifa. She stood there, still holding her hands up to her mouth, blinking. She quietly backed away, still staring at Cloud like he was a wild animal, then calmly left the room, her footfalls descending the stairwell quickly. Cloud doubled over, groaning nervously.

"Cloud! You aren't turning into a wolf, are you?" Marlene asked, concerned.

"Nope," Cloud said as he shook his head. "Way worse than that," he groaned out. He flopped onto one of the beds, his face a grimace. His eyes burned and his mouth was dry, and his hands came up to his face, blanketing any light that could possibly enter. He felt and smelled Denzel sitting next to him, the boy putting a hand on Cloud's chest. He put his hand over the child's, whispering a soft "Thank you" as he tried to calm down from the recent turn of events.

"Cloud...Do you think we're still gonna be a family?" Denzel asked meekly. The orphan couldn't stand the thought of losing his home a third time.

Cloud opened his uncovered eye, looking at the child. "I hope so..."

"What do we do if she..." Denzel looked on the verge of tears.

"I'll leave, I don't want you and Marlene to be without Tifa." It's not like he hadn't gone through such a thing before.

Denzel shook his head hard and quick. "No. I don't want that again, I want a real family. I want you and Tifa."

Cloud shuddered a sigh. "We'll see, Denzel." He gave the child's hand a pat.

* * *

Tifa hurried about the galley, looking for the vegetables she would need to complete dinner, near panicking as her mind raced. _'Werewolf, a werewolf...Cloud's one of those things that eat people and kill things and...'_ She thought back to a few nights ago, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. They had sex, and he hadn't told her what he had become. Tifa felt some considerable anger well inside her, remembering how he avoided the question before having his way with her...Not that she had any objections at the time, because of his lies through omission. Her eyes narrowed and she nearly marched back up the stairs to sock him in the jaw. _'Ah, the kids don't need to see that. Still...'_

What if he infected her? Could that happen? A shiver ran down her spine. No, Cloud wouldn't risk that, would he? that wouldn't be like him, and the Cloud upstairs was reacting like he would in such a scenario; he hated straight talk with her. Tifa peeled the carrots, mulling over the possibilities, the things she had missed; he ignored the foods he used to love, happily eating meat and forcing down vegetables, the sudden 'overnight delivery' the night of the Full Moon, which was something he'd never done before, the animals acting strangely towards him at the zoo, despite it being a normal zoo affair the last time they went...

Was that what his hug was for, that night before he left? He wanted to be reassured that everything would be okay. Now she understood; this was what he wanted assurance over. But what about herself, how would he reassure her of the family's safety? She squeezed her eyes shut to think through emotions and memories and thoughts.

It was almost too much for the strong woman.

"Tifa, you aren't gonna leave Cloud, are you?" Marlene had marched downstairs after her, Tifa busying herself with dinner and trying to process everything she had heard. She looked at the little girl, her face pale and eyes still wide. Tifa clenched her jaw.

"Marlene, I...No, I'm not leaving him," she said quickly, chopping a carrot as she did so. "It's just...um..." She bit her lip, her breath quivering.

"What?" Marlene sat at the bar, waiting intently on Tifa's answer as the woman prepared the sides to their supper.

"I...might...have a fear of werewolves. The movies when I was a little girl terrified me, and so did the howls from the wolves in the forests surrounding the town. In fact, some of the kids would joke that it was werewolves looking for children to eat." Tifa looked in the fridge, retrieving the butter. "...I guess it's silly coming from me."

"So you're scared of Cloud?" The little girl frowned.

Tifa slowly nodded, swallowing. "...Honestly, a little bit. I know he wouldn't do anything to hurt us, Marlene, I do, it's just...I'm afraid of werewolves. I have to overcome it myself." She paused, cooking the carrots on the stove top. "I wish he would have said something earlier," she groused.

Marlene giggled. "He's bad at telling you things, isn't he? But, I think he might be more scared of your reaction than you are of werewolves."

Tifa smiled at her. "I think you might be right. But, look, we'll figure it out. We always do. It'll just take time." She looked back at the carrots, then back to Marlene. "Hey, can you tell the boys dinner will be ready soon?" Tifa hadn't shaken her nervous fear at all, but she was putting on her best face for everyone.

The little girl nodded, bounding up the stairs. She reached their bedroom quickly, Cloud and Denzel both looking towards her as she entered, the girl interrupting their conversation. They both looked sad, as if their family was about to be torn apart, the boy clinging to his hero tightly as Cloud sat on the bed. Marlene walked up to the bed and sat on the other side of Cloud, holding onto his back as he placed an arm around her.

Marlene looked up at him. "Tifa said she's really, really scared of werewolves."

Cloud's face warped with more anxiety. "...She's afraid of me then, isn't she?" His heart dropped.

"A little bit." Marlene smiled at him. "She also said she wasn't gonna leave you. So, I guess she hasn't given up on you yet."

Cloud's heart nearly burst out of his chest as a smile grew on his face. Denzel smiled, hugging tightly, Marlene doing the same. Cloud returned the gesture happily, his family not as fragile as he feared, though he knew he might still be treading on thin ice. The children finally left the bed, leaving the room. Marlene popped her head out of the door, waving as she smiled.

"Oh yeah! Time for dinner, Cloud!"

He lifted himself off the bed, walking towards the hallway. "Great."

* * *

Leaving the shower, Cloud dried himself off with his towel, rubbing his now fluffy, spiky hair of excess water. He wiped the mist off the mirror before brushing his teeth. He looked at his reflection, trying to see if his new existence as a werewolf would change his face or body any. His four canines seemed slightly sharper and longer, but nothing dramatic seemed to have marked him physically. He thought back to his dinner, the event tense despite Tifa's guarantees to the children she wasn't leaving him.

Dinner had been quiet, the tension palpable. Tifa had refused to look him in the face, and he felt he couldn't look at her either because of his feelings of embarrassment, his cheeks welling with color. Her face had been pale, her hand shaking after each bite of food he observed; Cloud would watch her out of the corner of his eye or when she thought he didn't see, making him frown. The smell of her fear was so strong he was surprised he could smell her cooking at all through it, and it pained him to smell it from her of all people.

He had wondered at one point if she was expecting him to grow fangs as he ate the pot roast, occasionally looking at him when she thought he was too engrossed in the meal to notice her; part of him wondered why he hadn't, the meat she cooked was perfect. Spitting the minty suds out and rinsing his mouth, Cloud put on his night clothes; the usual pajama pants and T-shirt. He took another look at himself in the mirror, his face a worried frown. He sighed and tossed his towel in the hamper.

Leaving the bathroom, his bare feet softly walked upon the creaky wooden boards towards their shared bedroom. Tifa was already looking up towards the doorway before he appeared there, her red eyes round, reminding him of that dream...He swallowed hard as he stood by the door, that same scent that permeated the bar during dinner lingering here. "I...I can sleep in the other room, if it'd make you more comfortable." A frown was on his face as he said it. Tifa inhaled and shook her head, covering herself up to her chin in the quilt that lay over their bed.

He hesitated, then slowly made his way towards the bed, settling onto the mattress next to Tifa, the woman scooting a little toward her edge of the bed. Cloud turned his lamp off before resting on his back, blinking as the butterflies in his stomach fluttered. The awkward silence bothering him, he sighed quietly. He still looked towards the ceiling as he spoke, his voice somber, hands folded on his abdomen.

"I'm sorry, Tifa." He paused. "...I should have told you as soon as I feared it was true, but...I guess I'm a coward." Cloud felt Tifa shift in bed, and out of the corner of his eye he could see her looking at him. He slowly brought his glowing eyes to meet hers, her face unreadable.

"You're afraid of someone who's been with you through everything?" Tifa asked. The irony of her words hit her immediately, and she was unsure if she was addressing herself as well.

Cloud shook his head. "No. I'm afraid I'll finally do something, or get into some sort of trouble that makes you give up on me," he whispered. He shifted to his side, body facing her, his face full of guilt. Why she hadn't yet still confused him to this day, after everything he'd done; he was still recovering mentally from the horrible things done to him, and the terrible things he felt responsibility for. He knew Tifa had a similar mindset, blaming herself for the Sector Seven plate collapse as much as he blamed himself, but she wasn't the one who lead people on a journey with a subconscious, ulterior motive.

Tifa's eyes glistened with moisture at his words. "No, Cloud...I wouldn't do that...This isn't your fault, anyway. We'll figure something out together..." She blinked, a tear coming loose from her watery eye.

Cloud instinctively put a hand to her face, and she flinched, inhaling sharply as his calloused hand gently contacted her cheek. Tifa didn't recoil, but let him wipe away the tear from her cheek. "Tifa...Thank you. For everything. I still don't know what you see in a broken person like me." He took his hand away, not wanting her to fear his touch any longer; his face was a mix of sadness and guilt. She brought herself to touch his cheek tentatively, the smooth skin a familiar comfort to her. Other emotions overtook her fear, and she pushed her face into his chest, his hand wrapping around her back softly.

She heard a sniffle above her, and she squeezed tighter. "We're both broken, Cloud..."

Cloud didn't say anything back, he just stroked her hair and took in her scent. His chest quivered against his lover's head and a soft smile formed on his face as they both fell asleep in each other's arms, unanimously, silently, deciding to deal with today's revelations tomorrow.

* * *

_Tifa distantly followed Cloud as he disappeared into the heavy foliage of an old forest that reminded her of the woods that surrounded their hometown of Nibelheim. She heard the crunch from his heavy footfalls in the darkness, but could not seem to find him no matter how far into the thick woods she went. Hopelessly lost Tifa turned her head this way and that, wondering where Cloud could have gone; in the distance she heard a pained, shouted groan, followed by snarls. The woman's eyes went wide, and she shivered at the horrible noises. Was he alright? No...he was something else now._

_She swiftly walked deeper into the forest, hoping to get a good start on the hunting beast that would be somewhere behind her. All those times in Nibelheim where children teased about werewolves had become a living nightmare, breathing down the back of her neck as Tifa searched for some place she could take refuge in until the cursed night was over. It was hard to navigate the dark forest, the pugilist almost tripping on a branch or stone here or there, but she blindly continued on in the moonlight speckled woods._

_There was the sound of crunching leaves and panting coming from the darkness surrounding Tifa. She looked about, wondering which way would lead her out of this maze of a forest. The woman crunched through the leaf litter as she reached a clearing glowing with moonlight, the wildflowers and grasses almost shimmering blue and silver. It was beautiful, but Tifa didn't have time to soak in the sights; a chill was running down her spine as her senses screamed at her to run. She glanced about, then heard a branch snap behind her. Looking in the sound's direction, a pair of feral, glowing blue eyes watched from the underbrush; sharp teeth glistened in the inky darkness as if shadows had faces. Tifa knew who that was, and she gasped in terror._

_"Cloud..."_

_He growled, and she ran as fast as she could through the clearing. Tifa could hear him behind her, the man she loved dearly some mindless killing machine intent on eating her, his excited pants hot on her trail. She had to run, had to hide. Cloud gained on her quickly, and she turned about to lay a desperate roundhouse kick to the monster. Connecting to his shadowy face, she paused just a moment before running again, anywhere away from him. Tifa heard an angry snarl behind her, and she ran faster back into the woods as she attempted to lose him through the large trees and small bushes. The woman thought perhaps she had lost him, that she might have a chance to hide until morning, but her hopes were dashed a moment later as a large furry body slammed into her torso, knocking her down into the underbrush. Tifa looked up, the wind knocked out of her, the werewolf staring at her hungrily and pinning her arms down. She struggled, but he pressed down on her to keep her in place, as if she'd been enough trouble as it is, and she moaned as his claws pressed into her tender shoulders._

_"Cloud, please..." she pleaded._

_The beast paused just a moment before quickly opening its jaws and biting down on her throat. She didn't have time to scream._


	6. Drunks and Ninjas

The next morning Tifa awoke with a start to an empty bed; Cloud had already left by dawn. She sighed as she rubbed her face. Did yesterday really happen? Looking down at the blankets Tifa supposed it wasn't just some horrible dream. She yawned, her sleep having been interrupted by nightmares of Cloud chasing her down, and she shuddered as she remembered them; Tifa tucked her knees to her face. _'How could this be? What will we do...'_ But he was so warm last night...Reality has a way of crashing down the day after something important occurs, she thought.

Her mind dredged up memories of the other night when he hadn't told her, and again anger spiked in her chest. She let out an angry huff. Why couldn't Cloud just say something and not try to weather his problems alone? Why did he do that without telling her he was a werewolf, why did the children find out first? Tifa regretted not breaking his jaw last night. It wasn't as if he wouldn't recover from it quickly, anyway. _'He'd deserve it for that...'_

Little footsteps coming closer interrupted her woeful thoughts. "Tifa! Are you alright?" It was Marlene, the girl coming to sit on the bed next to Tifa. The woman looked down at the girl and placed an arm around her, bringing her close. Marlene frowned up at her, worried about the look on Tifa's face. "Are you still upset?"

She nodded at the little girl, rubbing the child's back. "It's...challenging." She looked towards the clock, then towards Marlene. Tifa knew she had to distract herself. "I need to make you guys some breakfast before you go to school. You and Denzel should get yourselves ready!" The little girl nodded as she scooted off the bed and then down towards the hall, Tifa sighing as she slid off her side of the bed and out of her room, glancing into the children's room as they prepared for their day. She made her way down the stairs and into the galley, and began fishing out items for breakfast, keeping her mind off her troubles. Tifa poured juice for them, then began to cook.

"G'morning, Tifa," Denzel said sleepily as he came down the steps, and towards their usual table with a glass of juice in his hands. He sipped his small glass of juice, watching his caretaker finish cooking. Marlene appeared next, grasping her drink and sitting across from the boy. She looked over at him; Denzel had a concerned look on his face as he watched the silent woman cook with a vacant expression on her face. "She's still upset, isn't she?" he inquired in a whisper.

Marlene looked towards Tifa for a moment, then back at Denzel. "Yeah. But she said they'd figure it out like they always do." Neither seemed certain, however; they'd never seen Tifa quite like this.

Tifa came up to them shortly after, holding plates with usual fare: eggs, toast, and some fruit. She sat next to Marlene, staring into her plate as the children ate with worried looks on their faces. They could only tell that something was wrong, not whatever she thought; Tifa's mind flashed between her fears and nightmares and her embrace with Cloud and all the times before this new revelation came about. Fear and love warred in her heart, despite never seeing him like one of those _things_.

Soon the children had left for school, leaving Tifa alone to her thoughts. After dressing herself Tifa worked on her morning chores before she would open up for lunch hour. At that point in her day, she was unsure if she really wanted to open up the bar today; she was too wary to put on a smile. Tifa sighed, fixing up the bed as a breeze came in through an open window. She turned her head towards the clock; it was 11:30. She still had time to decide; it would get her mind off the situation at least, but she didn't really feel like making small talk with customers today.

A sound snapped her out of her thoughts, of the front door unlocking and opening up and heavy footfalls. Tifa listened a moment after the door shut; it sounded like Cloud's footsteps, remembering them from the nights he would come home extremely late from deliveries. Had he not gone to work this morning? Why? She hesitated, then made her way towards the stairs as the footsteps came closer.

Tifa bumped into Cloud as he made it up the final step, letting out a little squeak as he caught her in one of his arms. Her red eyes were wide and fearful, the spiky haired warrior frowning at her expression with worried cerulean eyes. "It's just me, Teef..."

"I...I know..." Tifa noticed some hurt growing in his eyes as she looked him over, his warm arm still wrapped around her back. "I'm just surprised you didn't go to work today..."

He looked away, blush on his face as he gently let Tifa go. "Of course not. Not today."

She blinked. "...Not today?" Did he want a day to themselves to talk things through?

Cloud looked back, concern written all over his face. "...I thought I was the one that was supposed to forget these kinds of things. I guess it can't be helped..."

Tifa stared at him. _'These kinds of things?'_ "Um..."

He slowly held his hand out, silently pleading with her to take it. After a few moments she nervously took it, and he softly tugged her downstairs, to the bar. She wondered what he was up to, what he planned to do. That's not how Cloud is...

She took a final step down, and slowly peeked behind Cloud's black clad back. She let out a gasp, putting her hands to her face as she looked at the counter. There was a little black box, a vase of familiar flowers, and a pink box with the name of a well known baker on the side. "Happy birthday, Tifa."

"Cloud..." She looked back at him tearfully, a little smile on his face. He walked over and picked up the little black box, handing it to her. Tifa opened it up, letting out a little gasp as her new pearl earrings came into view. There was a slight rose hue to the pearls that dangled delicately from the studs, also of pearl and a white, gleaming metal, probably white gold.

"Those are your favorite, right?" he asked searchingly, hoping he was correct on her favorite precious stone. She nodded as she smiled, trying them on and looking them over with a small mirror she had tucked away on the wall.

"They're beautiful. Thank you, Cloud!" Tifa paused in thought a moment, then gave him a hug that he returned happily. She looked up at him, his face wearing a smile; his eyes still searched hers as if he were still unsure about last night, just like she was. Tifa placed her head down on his cool chest, thinking. "You remembered my birthday, even when I forgot it..."

"...You've got a lot on your mind," he sighed back, looking down at her. "...Sorry."

Tifa shook her head. "We'll get through this. We always do!" She squeezed him, feeling the fabric and muscles and smooth skin. This could change into something terrible? Maybe.

Cloud moved some stray hairs from her face. "Wanna go to lunch with me?"

_'A date?'_ Tifa looked up at him and smiled. "...I'd like that a lot."

* * *

Cloud took her out to a popular restaurant they had visited in the past, and the couple sat at a table situated on the back porch of the establishment. A red table cloth and a small vase of spring flowers decorated the table they took a seat at. Cloud looked at Tifa expectantly after they ordered their drinks, his fingers laying on the menu. He already knew what he was going to order, it wasn't as if he had many food options anymore. He could tell by her scent and the look in her eye when she glanced at him that she still had some firm words for him, even if she wasn't as skittish as she had been before he surprised her this morning.

Surprises didn't mean safe from lectures. He knew that well enough.

There was a silence after the waiter took their orders, and Tifa sipped on her drink, looking at the table. Cloud watched her from time to time, feeling the tension between them as something dwelled on her mind. Was it because the kids found out first? Was it because he didn't immediately come to her with his worries? Or maybe it was because of her phobia? Cloud looked away, his face feeling a little flush. He did a million different things wrong, which one was she thinking about? Which one upset her the most?

"About the other night..." she mumbled.

He snapped his head back to her, eyes wide. "Huh? W-what night?" Oh Gaia, which night? He sniffed the air silently, Tifa smelled a little angry. Not 'I'm going to sock you in the gut' angry, fortunately, but enough to set the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.

"You know which night, Cloud," she said lowly.

Cloud looked down at the tablecloth, searching for answers. He didn't know what night she wanted to discuss. "Uh..."

"When we..." She turned her head away.

His face paled, and he looked up at her as she brought her eyes back to study him. "Oh." He swallowed hard and tapped his fingers on the table. "I-I wasn't trying to be sneaky, Teef."

Tifa shook her head. "You were still devious. You kept lying about your problem, too."

Cloud held a crestfallen expression. "I know. I was terrified, Teef. I didn't want anyone to know, I just wanted to keep it secret so it wouldn't ruin what we have going. But the kids knew and..." He let out a long sigh. "It was kinda hard getting the words out. And I wasn't trying to...to use you or anything. I just wanted us to have one last night where everything was normal." He felt like an ass as it went through his head. His intentions weren't cruel in the least, but of course now he had time to really think that it might not have been the best idea to have sex with her before revealing that he might be a werewolf now. His cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Still...I was worried you could've infected me." She had fretted over that possibility, and it upset her that he could have risked that for a little fun in bed.

He shook his head. "It doesn't work like that."

"It doesn't?"

"No, not like this, I checked multiple books and Denzel's manual. I'm not infectious at all right now." He put a hand over hers, and to his relief she didn't slip it away. "I wouldn't risk any of you getting infected because of me," he said quietly.

Tifa nodded, then sipped on her drink. She felt relief that he did research on the malady he was now stuck with. Still, she felt taken advantage of. "I guess I just need some time to...soak this in," she said firmly.

Cloud nodded, resigned. "I'm sorry, Tifa. I'll give you some space." He supposed that was what he got for not telling her something extremely important before having his way with her, and he bit his lip as he thought about his screw up. _'What seems like a good idea one moment can certainly turn out to not be the case...'_ he lamented in his mind. Letting out a huff he studied Tifa. She seemed a little more relaxed after getting that off her chest, and he found it relieving.

Their food came a minute afterwards and they tucked in. Tifa had ordered a crab pasta plate, and Cloud was cutting into a rare steak. Tifa watched him take a bite of the bloody meat; in the past he had eaten his steaks medium with steak sauce. As she twirled the noodles on her fork and took a bite she remembered that one morning with the oatmeal and how disgusted he looked forcing it down his throat, and how he never requested toast or pancakes anymore. She swallowed her mouthful. "Does food really taste different to you now?" Tifa's irritation had melted into curiousity.

He looked up from his steak and nodded. "Yeah. Meat tastes a lot better than it used to, but everything else is either dull or gross or way too sweet." Cloud looked down again. "I wish I could enjoy your pancakes without nearly gagging on them. I always liked them on the weekends," he mumbled the last part before biting into another piece of steak.

Tifa found that sad. He couldn't enjoy what he used to because a stupid werewolf scratched him as he tried to return home to them. She wasn't about to waffle over the sex subject but she also wasn't about to not help him with his problems just because she was fearful of what he could be on a Full Moon. No, this was Cloud right now, and not that thing that chased her in her nightmare. And Cloud was trying to cope with it and not rock the boat too much. _'He's predictable, that's for sure.'_

"Does it come with any perks?" she asked after taking another bite of pasta. "Or is it all bad?"

He hummed as he finished chewing. "My sense of smell improved. My hearing somehow got better, too." Tifa giggled, and he cracked a grin. "I guess that's not a lot to show for it." He knew werewolves could heal faster too, but he already healed fast; it would be redundant. He figured he could bring up the silver later, right now he felt she had enough to process. "I'm still trying to figure everything out, Teef. Other than that it's mostly the same..." Cloud cleared his throat and started to cut into his steak again. "Anyway, what about you? I know the bar is getting a lot of business."

Tifa smiled and began to talk about the bar and the goings on while he was out delivering packages. Just for a little while it was as if werewolves didn't exist anymore, and she didn't recoil at the kiss on the cheek he gave her after they left the restaurant for her favorite ice cream parlor. _'We can weather this together. Just one day at a time.'_

* * *

Despite the lovely birthday, it had still taken about a week for Tifa to fully acclimate to the revelation forced out of Cloud, the woman occasionally squeaking when he turned up behind her to ask a question or nervously watching him with the kids, her lover simply frowning at her for the acts. It wasn't that she didn't trust Cloud, she really did, but her fear had never been confronted; just like everyone else she assumed werewolves were just something to watch in movies and scare children...Sure, she could have reasoned it was all a big joke since she hadn't seen anything much to confirm it except for his sincere reactions to telling her and his changed food likes and dislikes, putting it to the far reaches of her mind; but one day Cloud showed her the effects of silver on his skin just so she knew what to use in case something bad happened.

"Wolf or not, silver hurts like hell," he had said, raising from the side of their bed.

"Really, silver? Just like in the movies?" She looked skeptical, standing by the dresser.

He nodded and motioned towards her little jewelry box. "Go ahead, take out something made of silver." Tifa did as he asked, and as she turned around he had lifted his arm warily. "Touch my skin with it..." He swallowed and braced himself.

She looked at his arm, the pale skin over powerful, lean muscles, and held her one hand to its side, feeling it's warmth. The other dangled the same silver bracelet that stung him two weeks ago, unbeknownst to her. Tifa slowly lowered the bangle, landing it suddenly on his skin. A hiss emanated from the contact and Cloud winced and grunted, causing Tifa to whip the bracelet away. He instinctively tore his arm back, rubbing with his other hand. "C..Cloud?"

He slowly showed her the burn mark from the prolonged exposure, the skin browned as if burned, her eyes round at the sight. "It'll heal, Teef."

* * *

As Tifa wiped the counter of the bar, another customer came in, one she recognized. Cloud was sitting at the bar, having one of his rare drinks; he was never much for drinking, though he'd imbibe on certain anniversaries or out of the blue. He noticed the man too, his eyes narrowing as the customer sauntered over to a seat at the bar, sitting at a chair where he could get a good look at Tifa, obviously.

The bartender walked over, giving a sweet smile to her new guest. He had come in the day before and tried to get a date out of her, and it seemed he wasn't going to take "no" for an answer just yet. Cloud had been on delivery that day, the newcomer unknown to him. She leaned on the counter, greeting him. "What can I get for you today?"

The man grinned in a lopsided way, he had obviously bar hopped. "...How about sex with the bartender?" he said boldly, his brows bobbing up and down. His sweaty brown hair covered his green eyes and he drummed his fingers upon the hard surface of the bar.

Tifa raised a brow and pushed off the counter, turning towards the booze. "Sure thing!" She felt Cloud's eyes burning into the back of her head, and she looked back at him and winked, used to his particular territorial possessiveness. That certainly hadn't changed, she thought. The simmering anger turned to confusion in his eyes as he watched her deftly mix a drink, his head propped up by his hand, a finger below his nose. She smiled slyly at him again, turned and presented the drink to the tipsy patron. "Sex with the bartender!" Cloud let out a little snort.

The man scoffed, but drank the mixed drink anyway, expecting a different offer. "I mean, it's pretty good, but not as good as you look, little lady," he said, swaying a little in his seat with a cheesy wink.

Tifa jumped as she heard a low growl from the other side of the bar, turning her head to look at Cloud. The warrior was staring daggers into the challenger, his shoulders tense and teeth clenched. "Hey, Cloud..." He snapped his focus away from the other male and towards Tifa, and she kept to the back of the bar, obviously afraid; his glare was hard and feral. His eyes immediately softened, brows knitted in a concerned frown. She sighed, walking over to him. "Everything's okay."

Cloud grunted in response, and finishing his drink, he made his way into the back of the bar, hearing the drunkard's query to Tifa as he climbed the stairs.

"Is that like, your brother or something?" The man said with a low, hesitant voice.

"Or something!" she chimed happily.

* * *

He felt something was wrong with him; the burning in his chest stubbornly clinging to him. He went into the bathroom to take a look, flipping on the light. His face looked mostly normal, his eyes holding some feral glint...He gave his ear a pat, it was showing signs of changing. He had felt it tingle downstairs, along with his...He parted his lips, his canines had pushed out slightly, and his back molars were coming to points. "Okay...calm down. Calm down..." He took deep breaths, looking from one side of the bathroom to the other.

He turned on the sink and splashed cold water on his face, apprehension overtaking his jealousy and anger at the drunk patron. The whiskey hadn't helped the situation at all, loosening up emotional inhibitions. He looked back up, not sure if the cool water had made a difference, his eyes staring at the stubborn fangs slowly growing in his mouth. What to do? Cloud heard a knock on the door, Tifa's muffled voice asking if she could come in. "Y-yeah..."

Her head popped into view, a concerned look in her eyes as she bit her lip. "Cloud, are you okay?" Her eyes went to his half open mouth, his canines glistening in the artificial light. Tifa let out a little gasp, her eyes widening, and Cloud couldn't help but feel bad.

"It's okay, Teef. I think I'll ride this out in the wastes tonight, just in case." He looked down apologetically, then back up towards her fearful eyes.

"But it's not even a Full Moon..." she whispered.

"I know. But...That feeling is really burning in me. I gotta leave, I'll be back in the morning. I promise." He stood there unmoving, waiting for Tifa to leave first. She lingered a moment, and then disappeared from the door.

* * *

Zooming off to his new hiding spot miles upon miles out in the Midgar Wastes, Cloud searched for the cavern, pushing his bike into the entrance when he finally found it again. It had taken him nearly twenty minutes at near top speed on Fenrir to get to this spot, and he had choked down the urge to change several times during his speedy journey through sheer willpower. Growling from the heat still building up in his body, he quickly took his clothing off, then finally removed his boxers, wanting to preserve them this time. He removed another clothing article he had retrieved from the hamper before he left; one of Tifa's nightshirts from a compartment in Fenrir, just in case he needed a scented reminder.

He panted outside the cave naked while tucking his knees towards his chest, the twilight growing ever darker. Cloud could feel it coming again like a wave of heat and pain; as much as he dreaded it he wanted it to hurry up and claim him finally, he wouldn't fight it now. The familiar feeling of his fingers swelling started, little pops as the digits rearranged and twisted and sharp claws pushing through the softened flesh of his fingers. He fell to his side, seizing up as he let out sharp little groans. His abdomen cramped hard, and his head felt like it was in a vice as it warped into it's new shape and sharp teeth formed in his maw. He let out a pained moan that turned into growls and whimpers as he grew and reshaped, willing himself to not blackout despite the crippling pain.

The final crunch of his spine caused him to roar from the pain, though it was not nearly as bad as the first time. Breathing heavily he slowly recovered, staring at the ground for a minute to get his bearings. He looked around, unsure if he was actually lucid. He brought a clawed hand to his face, shaking his large head. No, he was aware. Was it the experiments done to him, or his battles over Sephiroth that had been the reason for his new found will? He still couldn't think quite like he did as a person, but everything else seemed to be intact.

_**'...What to do now?'**_ He couldn't go back home like this, and he didn't know how long he would be stuck like this, either. Maybe he could explore the area a little, he thought it best to keep preoccupied and give the animal instincts something to do that didn't involve slaughtering humans. Taking one last look at the cave and making certain the entrance was covered, he made his way to scout the area, the air filled with dull, dusty scents. 

Traveling away from the cave, he ventured towards the green line that broke the wastes, a place he was very familiar with in his delivery travels. Sniffing the air, the scents were of distant grass and dry earth..And some ungulate animal. Cloud felt a twinge of that monstrous instinct, pulling him to hunt it. His mouth drooled in anticipation. Maybe, he could stay in control and sate this beast's desires, too. 

Stalking on all fours, he crawled towards the scent. Cloud's monochrome sight as he hid behind a rock outcropping observed some lean gazelle that had strayed to the edges of the waste, gnawing on some stray grass. He stilled his breath, waiting for it to get closer. The little beast was oblivious to the werewolf, moving closer and closer. Tensing, Cloud lunged, the little gazelle leaping away but not without a nasty gash torn through the back leg. The chase was on, and it felt good. 

* * *

"Stupid piece of crap car!" Yuffie messaged Cloud again, wondering when the spiky pain in the ass would finally answer her demand for him to pick her up from the wastes. Her rented vehicle was abandoned on the side of the road, roughly a mile away, and she wasn't going to walk all the way to Edge if she could help it. Or maybe she would, if someone didn't pick her up. The scrappy ninja made her way deeper into the Midgar Wastes, oblivious to any danger she could possibly be in, her emotional state making her unreasonable and noisy. 

She jumped up and down, moaning. "Damn it, Spike, answer your damn phone! Gawd!" Yuffie thought to text Tifa next, in case she would have more luck getting a hold of Cloud. Pressing the send button, she stood a moment in the darkness, unsure where to rest from her travels for a little bit. Making her way towards a large rock, Yuffie sat a top a smaller stone next to it and leaned, waiting for a response from either person. A muffled cry, growls and heavy steps nearby drew her out of her phone, the ninja peeking over the side of the rock. Her eyes adjusted further to the twilight, noticing a large shape about fifteen feet from her position; it hunched over something small and limp. She peered harder into the low light, the creature taking a firmer form. Its back was facing her and it tearing into what she assumed was its prey. 

Yuffie let out a gasp of air as she felt her phone buzz against her leg, turning away from the creature. Whatever it was, it seemed to have caught a meal and it fortunately wasn't her. Opening the phone, there was a message from Tifa: 

**Cloud is out of town for the night. What are you doing in the Wastes? They aren't safe! Get back to your car.**

"Yes, mom," Yuffie grumbled. She sighed, arms crossed. She wasn't really sure what to do next. Yuffie reasoned she could go back to her car, or she could try to make it into Edge, the city still far off. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to leave the car like that. After all, the only company she had out here was some giant fuzzball noshing on an animal behind her...Her eyes widened, there was silence behind her. Had the creature left? She slowly looked behind the rock, her eyes peeking here and there until she focused on something big in front of her. 

The creature was staring right at her, five feet away, the eyes a softly glowing eerie blue. The muzzle was a little short and the jaw was open in a pant, the face dark and hairless with terrible sharp teeth. The fur was light colored from what she could register while shooting a light flash from her phone into its face before charging towards her car, a confused roar echoing into the air behind her. She didn't hear it give chase, but she wasn't going to stop to give it a chance. 

* * *

"Raaaaagh!" Cloud immediately covered his eyes with an arm, the agony of the bright light burning his eyes and blinding him momentarily. He had been in the middle of consuming his kill when he noticed sounds from behind him, buzzing and a very familiar voice. Curiosity had gotten the better of him, hoping to peek on the other side of the rock without startling the noisy person on the other side. She peeked first and he froze, face to face with a surprised Yuffie Kisaragi... 

Who just moments ago blinded him with a phone flash. Cloud shook his head, turning the corner of the rock and watching her run as fast as her legs could carry her as his vision returned. Something inside of him wanted to give chase, Cloud quickly stamping it down. _**'Friend...Pack member!'**_ The mantra seemed to take hold, her scent being tied to that word, that feeling...Pack. He sighed heavily, wandering towards the cave instead of possibly causing more trouble for Yuffie than he already had. He took a few steps towards his destination, but when a scream from her direction made him snap around, he began charging towards the little ninja. 

The young woman had indeed made it to her vehicle, but a lizard-like monster was trying to drag her out by her foot, her escape not quite fast enough. Yuffie gave the creature a swift kick in the neck, knocking it back and giving her a chance to shut and lock the door. The monster continued to slam into the door, attempting to force it open to get its fleshy prize. Cloud charged behind the creature, raising onto his hind feet and letting out a loud roar, then swiping it with a clawed hand. The monster squealed as the over seven foot tall werewolf savaged it, finally hitting a jugular and letting it expire after a small fight. 

Crouching, he looked into the cabin of the car, noticing Yuffie's terrified expression and listening to a string of words he couldn't make out, besides "Ohmigawd". Cloud snorted at the little ninja, his breath steaming the glass of the door and getting a scream out of his friend. Bringing himself to all fours again, he began to trot back to the cave. Hopefully Yuffie would stay out of trouble for the rest of the night. He could still hear her muffled shouts as he wandered off; Cloud just wanted to rest after this exciting night. He'd pick up Yuffie in the morning. 

* * *

Cloud moaned softly, dawn's astral glow beginning to warm the wastes he had roamed the night before. He felt strangely serene, theorizing it might have been from releasing those pent up instincts that hadn't been expressed during his first transformation. He licked his lips, the coppery taste of blood from the hunt and skirmish still on them. He got up, shivering, and rustled around Fenrir for his canteen, rinsing his mouth and washing his face. It wasn't that he minded the taste anymore, but he figured he should be half presentable to Yuffie when he came to her rescue for a second time. He didn't need her asking such questions, such as 'why is there blood all over your face'? 

Donning his clothing, he picked up Tifa's night shirt, the article of clothing had been his pillow during the night. Folding it, he put it back into the compartment, hoping Tifa wouldn't mind his use of her clothing. Pushing his bike out of the small cave he took his phone out, several messages from Yuffie and one from Tifa. The ones from Yuffie were demands from her to pick her up, the last one being a plea to get her from her car. Tifa's were sent sometime last night, praying he hadn't killed Yuffie. Cloud sighed, sending replies to both women; he'd be there soon, and that no, he hadn't killed Yuffie. Replacing the phone into his back pocket, he started Fenrir up. 

Twenty minutes later he had a tired and scared ninja clinging to his back on his bike, the irony not lost on him. He held onto one of her hands as he drove off, the girl terrified to the point of giving Cloud a rib crushing hug at his early morning appearance. They drove on silently, the night before had taken the spunk out of the young woman for now. He approached his home as usual, Yuffie holding his hand as Cloud navigated the garage, entering the bar. 

Tifa's eyes lifted up tiredly to Cloud's face, brightening as Yuffie came into view; she was unharmed but for a slight limp from an ankle injury. Yuffie made her way to Tifa, giving her a huge hug. She mumbled thanks to Cloud for picking her up, even if he was a little late. Yuffie smiled up at him, and he returned the gesture. Tifa ushered her upstairs, letting the young woman get a hot shower before breakfast. As Yuffie disappeared up the steps, Tifa turned to Cloud nervously. The blond man was sitting at the bar with his chin propped up by his hand, a coffee mug by his other hand. He appeared to be thinking, but slowly looked over at Tifa as she walked towards him, her phone in her hands. 

"I...guess you had a busy night, huh?" Tifa mumbled. 

Cloud sighed. "You could say that." He thought back to last night, the images fresh in his mind. 

"You almost killed her you know," Tifa's voice a whisper. 

Cloud scoffed, looking her in the eyes with a frown. "No, I didn't. I had to rescue her from some stupid monster." 

Now it was Tifa's turn to frown. "She sent me a picture, she said the flash blinded the...creature that was watching her." 

Cloud swallowed heavily and looked away. "I wasn't trying to hurt her, I swear. I didn't even know it was her until she popped her dumb face out at me." His cheeks turned red, remembering the look on Yuffie's face as she realized what she was staring at in the dark. 

Tifa blinked, tapping the counter with her fingers. "You remember all of this? Were you...you?" 

He nodded, looking back at her. "Yeah. Yuffie wasn't endangered by me last night." Not much, anyway. 

"Certainly scared her enough..." She looked at her phone, staring at some image. Cloud was unsure if he wanted to see, turning his head away again. "I guess you...kinda look dorky, the longer I look. Your eyes are almost crossed..." The sides of her mouth twitched as she said it. "When she sent the picture last night, it...Well, it scared me. A lot. But, looking at it so much..." 

He looked down incredulously, Tifa moving the phone so he could get a better look. His blue eyes actually did almost look cross eyed, caught by surprise from the flash. Cloud studied his face, the muzzle a dusky, dark brownish yellow hide and his fur as blond as his normal hair, and just as spiky. The teeth flashed were large pointed needles, white and sharp, and his tongue a bright pink. His ears had slicked back in surprise. Studying the picture was more than the small monochrome flash he saw the first time, before blacking out. He didn't look friendly or cuddly at all. 

Cloud sighed. "No wonder she flipped out when I came to her rescue." He put his head down, flanked by his folded arms on the cool surface. He felt Tifa's fingers run through his hair, the woman softly humming and the sensation on his scalp soothing him. He lifted his head slowly, looking into her eyes. She put her hands on both of Cloud's cheeks, smiling softly. 

"What will we ever do with you, our little Cloudy Wolf?" 


	7. Kidnapped Princess

"Clooooud!" A loud, annoying voice pierced the peace of the rooms above the noisy bar, Yuffie stomping towards her friend's office. She invited herself in, the man looking back at her with a frustrated look. Yuffie huffed as she shut the door, and sat on the bed next to his desk, kicking her feet in the air.

"What do you want? I'm tryin' to get my routes ready for tomorrow, ya know." Cloud rustled one of his maps, circling an area off the road from Kalm.

The ninja looked up at him. "I didn't like, thank you properly for picking me up this morning." Her face was solemn. "Last night sucked so bad! I'm lucky I'm not dead!"

Cloud snorted. "I thought the 'White Rose of Wutai' could handle herself?" He looked over at her, a wry smile on his face. He enjoyed picking on her sometimes, treating her as if she were a younger sibling he had to tease and protect. Maybe she really was, in her own way.

Yuffie gave him an indignant look, crossing her arms. "My shuriken's in the shop, Gawd! I coulda taken on both of those stupid monsters if it wasn't..."

She noticed he looked slightly uncomfortable, and reasoned that perhaps he was feeling guilty about not being in the area when she was in trouble. Cloud opened his mouth to speak. "You also told Tifa that the first one killed the other monster that was attacking your car." His face betrayed nervousness.

Yuffie nodded, thinking back. "Yeah, it was really freaky. Tore that little guy to shreds, then it just...stared at me." She put a hand to her back pocket to retrieve her phone, flipping to the picture she had taken. "What a weird monster. First it stalks me, then it wrecks another monster and just...stares at me! Then it walked away like nothing happened!" Yuffie looked down at the fearsome face looking back up at her, then back at Cloud, squinting. "Kinda looks like you, if you were a wolf or something."

Cloud groaned, looking at the picture on her phone and then back to her. "Seriously?" He had a light blush on his cheeks, his brows knitted together.

"Yeah, even had the freaky glowing eyes. Maybe it's one of professor Hojo's old experiments or something." She put her phone back, looking at Cloud with a shrug.

"Could be." That wasn't actually an incorrect assumption...

"Say, I forgot to ask, but how did you know where I was this morning?" She gave him a piercing look.

Cloud tapped his pen on his desk, cheeks still pink. "There's only one highway into Edge...It'd only be a matter of time until I found you, right?" The road to Kalm and the Chocobo Farm were trafficked, but not to the extent the highway between Fort Condor, Junon and Edge were.

"I guess. Tifa said you were outta town for the night. You need to learn to take a day off from the deliveries! Couldn't have been too far, though, or you wouldn't have showed up so quickly..."

Cloud let out a sigh as he returned to his maps. "Junon. Had to go to Junon."

Yuffie raised a brow, smirking. "Too bad I didn't see you on the road, I was coming from there, too."

"Guess the world isn't so small after all." He scanned his maps, ignoring her stare. A moment later, he felt a weight on his shoulders, and arms wrapping around his neck.

"Thank you, Cloud. For being there for me." Her voice was calm and soft in his ear, with a maturity he'd only heard from her a handful of times in the past.

Cloud lifted a hand to one of her arms, squeezing it in response. "It was nothing, Yuffie." He patted her arm, the ninja lifting herself up from her crouched hug.

"Hm. Well, I better go help Tifa in the bar! It sounds busy. Don't worry, I didn't give the kids too much candy!" She quickly made her escape, hearing Cloud angrily query out to her.

"You gave them sugar before bedtime?!"

* * *

Sighing, Cloud tapped his pen on his map, his anxiety lessening as the ninja departed; he would soon have to deal with two children that may have been given too much candy, though. Yuffie almost seemed to be grilling him, the delivery boy taking it as her being her nosy self as usual. Her heartfelt thanks was different than usual, however. Was she that scared last night? Was it him, or the other monster? Maybe it was both...He shrugged the thought off. It is what it is.

Cloud made his way to the children's room after he finished his routes on the maps, dreading what could possibly await him. The last time Yuffie had come over to visit, the children overdosed on Wutai sweets and were almost literally crawling the walls from hyperactivity. He entered, the sound of giggles coming from Marlene's bed; the children were covered in blankets, hiding. Cloud slowly approached the bed, hushed giggles emanating under the covers as his foot pressed against a creaking floorboard.

"Shhh! There's a big bad wolf out there," Marlene whispered.

"He can't get us under here," Denzel responded.

Cloud stepped closer, getting into their little game with a small smile. He let out a fake growl, the children quieting, one of their heads looking around subtly. He put his arms up, then quickly brought them down onto the children's sides, tickling them through the blanket. They squealed in delight and ripped the covers off, begging Cloud to relent. He tickled them a few moments more, finally letting them recover with a small laugh of his own.

"Cloud!" Denzel grabbed his guardian's wrist with both hands, still giggling. Marlene sat up, smiling, stifling her giggles. Cloud sat on the edge of the bed, letting the children wind down.

"Aunt Yuffie said you saved her this morning." Marlene said, Cloud giving her a quizzical look.

"She told you two?"

"Yeah. Said she thought she was gonna get eatin' by a big bad wolf!" Denzel stifled a giggle, the sugar churning through his body. "You looked pretty cool."

He frowned, embarrassed by Yuffie's act. "She showed you two that picture?"

"Yeah!"

He shook his head as the children bounced a little in place, happily hanging on to their favorite person at the moment. Cloud sighed. "I told Tifa I wasn't gonna hurt Yuffie..." Marlene bounced on the bed, holding his shoulder.

"We know you wouldn't hurt Aunt Yuffie! You're the good guy, remember?" She gave him a big smile.

"Yeah, Cloud, you're gonna go out and beat up bad guys!" Denzel said, scooting to Cloud's side.

"...I think you two have had too many sweets." Cloud said flatly. He gave a lopsided grin at their thoughts towards him, despite their sugar high.

"Just a couple!" They said in unison. Cloud shook his head again.

"It's time to go to bed, guys. Go brush your teeth." He lifted himself from the bed, his hands out to give them leverage to move off the bed. They stomped their feet as they charged towards the bathroom, squeezing through the bedroom door at the same time. Cloud sighed, making his way out of their room and towards the stairs, heading for the bar.

* * *

The bar was slowly emptying of customers, Yuffie either slinging drinks for the final call or telling drunk patrons that they'd had too much to drink and had to go. Tifa was behind the bar, cleaning the last of the glasses as they came back to her, busily drying a wine glass as Cloud made the final steps down the stairs.

He walked behind her, pressing against her back slightly, his arms to either side of the sink. Tifa jumped slightly, looking back just enough to see Cloud's spikes as they tickled her nose. She hummed a greeting, Cloud lowering his head down to her ear, his breath hot on the side of her face. A chill went down her spine, unsure why he was so close with Yuffie nearby.

"She fed them sweets before bed again," he whispered into her ear. He heard Tifa gasp then grumble.

"They aren't too out of control, are they?" She worked on another glass, scrubbing a particularly dirty spot.

"Not as bad as last time, I don't think. Got'em to go brush their teeth." Cloud lifted himself up from Tifa, heading to the fridge for a water bottle. He looked up towards the bar entrance, the last of the patrons leaving with a wave of Yuffie's hand. Taking a sip of the cool water, he watched as she locked the door and came to rest at the bar counter. _'Next time I'm sniffing her pockets for sweets,'_ he thought to himself.

"The kids doin' alright?" Yuffie asked innocently, Cloud huffing a humorless chuckle and Tifa putting her hands on her hips.

"Compared to the last time you tanked them up on sugar, they're doing great," Cloud said. "but could you please keep the candy to a minimum? Or we'll have you deal with it." Yuffie waved her hand dismissively.

"Fine, fine! Anyway, I came to visit you guys for a bit while things cooled between me and Godo." Yuffie was known to not get along with her father at times, and then traveling halfway across the planet to Tifa and Cloud's place to hang out as the most reasonable course of action.

"What, the WRO building not comfortable enough?" Cloud playfully jabbed.

Yuffie sneered at him. "I'd rather hang here than at work before I'm done my leave, thanks." Cloud rolled his eyes.

"How long this time, Yuffie?" Tifa asked.

"Almost a month. I'll help around the place, you know I will!" The ninja was good at keeping her word on assistance in the past, but that wasn't the reason for the looks she got from the pair in front of her. Tifa shifted from foot to foot, an uncomfortable look on her face. Cloud's face was unreadable to the ninja.

Cloud sighed long and low, the ninja being terribly nosy in the past. Still, he felt obligated to assist his friend; she had in fact given the two a two week vacation in Wutai, telling them to think of it as a honeymoon of sorts despite not being married yet. They both blushed at her words that day, but enjoyed the gift very much. Tifa seemed to be waiting for Cloud's answer.

"...Yeah. Just don't ruin my workplace while using the office bed, or the guest room. Which ever." He looked back at Tifa, giving her a small nod. He owed his friend hospitality, no matter his own circumstances.

"Alright! Like, I promise I'll be good, and I won't steal anything, or give the kids too much candy again..." The couple sighed together, making their way upstairs for some rest. They could clean up the rest of the bar later. The ninja followed them up, a large smile on her face.

* * *

"Cloud, do you think this is a good idea?" Tifa whispered in his ear as they lay in bed.

"Nope. I'm just not letting my problems get in the way of how things have always been, if I can help it at all." His whisper sounded determined. Tifa let out a sigh, understanding his reasoning.

"I suppose you're right...But, are you going to keep it secret?"

Cloud gently snorted. "I'll try to. I guess that depends on how curious she is, or what she can pry out of the children." He blinked, looking at Tifa. "Kind of surprised they didn't say anything while she was flashing that picture."

Tifa looked upset. "She showed them?!" Cloud put a finger to his mouth, trying to hush her.

"I guess we should have taken her phone before letting her hang out with the kids," he said, a smirk on his face. Tifa rarely got upset, and he found it cute tonight, him not being on the receiving end helping his mood.

"It's not funny...They could get nightmares from that..." Her eyes widened, and she put a hand over her mouth. Cloud frowned, slightly hurt.

"...Do I give you nightmares?"

Tifa flipped onto her back, putting her index fingers together. "Once in a while. I can't help it, Cloud...I'm still working on this, you know." She looked back at him.

Cloud sighed, remembering that while she still got along normally when he was as he usually was, Tifa's fears would immediately surface at any inkling of his new wolfish nature. "I understand."

Tifa placed a hand over his, rubbing one of his fingers. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

Cloud gave her a kiss on the forehead, silencing Tifa. Best not to instigate. "Don't worry about it. Good night, Tifa."

"...Good night, Cloud."

* * *

The first two and a half weeks Yuffie lived at their place was uneventful, the young woman preoccupying the children when they weren't working on school work, or helping in the bar. She left Cloud's work unbothered outside of a handful of delivery calls taken for him, and generally stayed out of trouble for the sake of the couple's sanity. The two thought of buying her a medal for her good behavior.

Tonight, she had decided to go out to find something to bring back to her friend and love interest, Yuri. Wandering through Edge's streets, the ninja suddenly had the feeling she was being watched. Deciding to go back towards Seventh Heaven, she meandered through connecting alleys, somewhat lost.

"Lost, little lady?" came a voice from behind her.

Yuffie turned, several men glowering at her. One of them came forward, brandishing a baton. "Come with us peacefully, or we're taking ya forcefully, princess."

The ninja snorted at the would-be kidnappers. "You don't know what you're gettin' yourselves into. Your lives are forfeit to the White Rose of Wutai!" She took a fighting stance, a crazy smile on her face. "Bring it on, schmucks!"

* * *

Cloud felt under control, his wolfish side seemingly dormant as long as nothing stirred it during the time between Full Moons; of course there were things that would make it stir, but nothing had aggravated it like that night with the drunk. Still, the next Full Moon was that night. He would have to hide again, out in the cold Midgar Wastes away from his home. Sitting outside the bar with Tifa, he watched the moon as it slowly climbed the firmament, a small heat in his chest warning him that he had about an hour to get to his hiding place if his last two transformations were any measure; not a difficult feat on Fenrir.

Rising up from the step and stretching, he gave his hand to Tifa and assisted her up. The two had been waiting for Yuffie to get back home from the store anxiously, the ninja had not returned yet; her phone had gone unanswered, too. Cloud frowned, hands on his hips. "How long did she say she was gonna take, anyway?"

Tifa looked down the road. "Yuffie should be back by now..." She tapped her foot, deeply concerned. The stores she said she was visiting would have closed by now.

Something felt wrong. Cloud closed his eyes, focusing on his other senses. He strained his ears, listening for the sound of Yuffie's familiar footsteps, and sniffed the air for familiar scents. The road they were on had very light pedestrian traffic, none of their footfalls familiar.

Very faintly, he picked up the sound of a fight to the north of them, the voices too distant to pick out who it was. Cloud frowned, opening his eyes. Looking at Tifa, he shook his head. "I need to check this out," he said grimly. "Yuffie might be in trouble."

Tifa's eyes widened. "Are you sure I shouldn't handle it? You have to..." She looked down.

"No...You have to be here for the kids. Look, I should have enough time to rescue Yuffie and book it to the cave if I leave right now. I'll be back." He flashed her a soft smile as he rubbed her cheek, then hurried off to the source of the sounds.

Running off in the direction of the fight, he paused to sniff the air after passing a child and rounding a corner. Yuffie had definitely gone down here at some point, and he trained himself on her trail, his senses keen in the twilight of Edge. The sound of the fight was louder, and her voice could be made out of the cacophony. Cloud made his way towards a side alley, shadows dancing on the grey walls illuminated by yellow artificial lights.

Hiding behind a garbage bin, Cloud watched as Yuffie held off the attackers with her ninja moves and whatever Tifa had taught her whenever she came to visit. One man was already dead on the ground, several others left and another coming to replace their dead comrade. Yuffie retreated towards Cloud's location, the end of the street blocked by a wall, and made a move towards the darkness he resided in. Cloud tensed, about to jump at an oncoming assailant, then Yuffie reached his position. A taser line came out before she could disappear into the shadows, sending voltage through the young woman, and she collapsed onto the ground next to Cloud after crying out from the pain. Cloud's eyes went wide, and something woke up in his chest as he stared at the ninja's limp body.

"Stupid bitch. Get her tied up, she'll fetch the boss a pretty penny, the princess of Wutai." Teeth gnashed and jaws lengthened.

"She killed Benny...Y'sure I can't cut her up just a little?" Vile claws retched out of swollen hands and feet, the feeling no longer painful even as they ruined thick boots.

"Nothing that'd leave a mark, I'm afraid." Ears ripped back and lengthened.

"Hmph. Maybe I'll have my way with the pretty little girl instead, no marks, right?" Clothing ripped away for a new, larger, furrier body to grow. A body ready to kill.

"Hell's that noise?" One of the kidnappers approached the unconscious ninja. A large, clawed paw met his gaze, resting in front of the young woman. Hovering two feet above the short man, a rabid looking face filled with razor sharp teeth looked down at him, the blue eyes floating in black scleras conveying absolute rage. A low growl came forth, the criminals bringing up their weapons fearfully.

_**'NOT...PACK...KILL.'**_ The wolf was happy to oblige.


	8. Werewolf of Edge

"F-fuck! The fuck is that thing!?" Shink. A claw ripped through an exposed neck. The man went to cover his leaking vein, his head suddenly smashing against a hard wall as a paw backhanded it. He crumpled to the ground, head imploded, a dent left on the metal wall. A cry came from one of the man's friends as they finally realized what was happening, and he stumbled over his feet. A snarl left the maw of the blond beast as it flexed its claws, and it kicked the corpse of its first victim savagely into some trashcans.

The monster turned its glowing, malevolent eyes towards its next victim, a flash of electrical energy coursing through the beast as it did so. Undeterred by the the stun gun, it roared and backhanded the offending arm, dislocating it and sending the man flying to the ground. The villain hit the pavement with a sickening thump and a grunt of escaped air. The would-be kidnapper stirred, his uninjured arm trying to reach for the fallen taser in a desperate bid to protect himself despite it barely having any effect on the monster. A clawed foot smashed into the creeping hand, breaking his bones; the man let out a muffled cry as flesh, metal and plastic meshed together from the pressure.

 _ **'Protect pack. Kill threats.'**_ Cloud was neither on top of the wolf nor smothered by it; he was in harmony with the beast, enjoying his wholesale slaughter of the people who would dare hurt his friends, his family, his pack...He bent down suddenly and with a snap of his jaws he pinched the man's neck and then tore upwards as his clawed foot held the torso steady. The force severed his victim's neck. As he did so the two others climbed onto his back to stab him, one digging a dagger into his shoulder, another trying for his kidney. The hide wouldn't let the weapons dig in much to their surprise and horror. Cloud shook them off with a vicious snarl as he came back up with his victim's flesh hanging from his jaw, twisting the head off one attacker with a sickening rip and quickly kicking the other man into a wall with one of his powerful legs.

"Fucking monster...!" The man gasped after nearly being imprinted into the wall, his lower ribs cracked. He tried to steady himself as Cloud finished tearing off his friend's head and tossing it savagely down the street, the blood spurting onto a building before merely flowing onto the pavement from the body. Cloud turned as the man attempted to pathetically charge towards his chest in an adrenaline fueled, desperate attack; then a large claw ended it all, disemboweling the dastardly fellow and lifting him off the ground. Cloud brought back his now red stained claw, hot blood flowing from the ruptured organs and arteries of the man as he crumpled to the ground before he could ever hope to avenge his friends.

Cloud growled as he stood on his hind legs, one clawed foot stomping on the corpse of the disemboweled kidnapper; the man's entrails pushed out from the pressure as he crushed the rib cage. The scent of blood and death was heavy in the air, and he licked his lips of the sticky, sweet, coppery fluid. He sniffed the air again after a minute, looking about with his back straight. A familiar scent hit his nose, of youth and foreign plains, and it brought his mind back into some sort of human focus. His eyes locked onto a little hunched over thing in the alley, noisily speaking to itself while sitting in a pile of torn fabric. Cloud slowly made his way to the figure after relaxing his back again, slightly hunched as he stalked towards her on his hind legs. _**'Protect friend.'**_

* * *

"Nnnngh..." Yuffie groaned as she pushed herself up, her face roughed up and bleeding from her tumble to the ground. She winced and put a hand to her aching head as she looked in front of her, into a shadowy alley. The alley was deadly silent, as if there hadn't been a fight after all. She sniffed blood back into her nose, then looking forward and bringing an arm up to rub whatever fluid still ran from her nostrils. Before she looked behind her something jingled, vibrated and glowed nearby, and her eyes slowly adjusted to the low light. Torn clothing littered the alley, the dark fabric strangely familiar to her as she picked up a piece and rubbed it between her fingers; it felt like Cloud's shirt...

She crawled to the phone with her aching limbs. It was cradled in a pocket that was connected to a chunk of black, torn pants. Her heart skipped a beat as she pulled it out and looked at it; it was Cloud's phone. He found her? What happened to Cloud, did he explode? Looking side to side at the mess around her, she shakily pressed the accept button on the sleek black phone. The number belonged to Tifa. Yuffie put the phone up to her ear, and a click sounded from the other line. Tifa's worried voice came chiming from the other side.

"Cloud!"

"It's Yuffie..." She situated herself as she sat on her knees.

Tifa's voice seemed to be ever more concerned. "Yuffie, you're okay! ...Where's Cloud?"

The ninja snorted as she flicked a piece of cloth. "I don't know...His clothing is like, everywhere."

There was a pause on Tifa's side. "Yuffie, just calmly walk away from the area, please."

"Why? I already got attacked by some stupid jerks, do I have to worry about a streaking Cloud now, too?" She froze as the sensation of hot, wet breath blew on her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. A squeak left her mouth, and she lowered the phone as Tifa shouted into at her. Looking back and up, Yuffie glared into the face of a very familiar beast that was crouching right behind her, its blue eyes softly glowing in the darkness and watching her. She moved her eyes to the torn fabric, then back at the spiky furred blond monster; the snout was blotched red and blood dribbled from its claws, making her skin crawl. The thing had a noisy breath, grumbling as it panted slowly, and it watched her patiently. She let in a sharp inhale and looked directly into the eyes of the beast, her dark grey eyes unblinking. "...Cloud?"

* * *

_**'Cloud...Pack. Pack member. Bring her to the pack. Bring her home, bring her to the den.'**_ His mind began to clear from the bloodlust more, the bestial instincts clearly satisfied with the death of the assailants. Cloud, too, was pleased with the destruction, the bastards deserving what they got in his opinion. Yuffie was still staring up into his eyes, frozen after she uttered his name. He slowly raised his head to take stock of the situation. The ninja let out a high pitched grunt as he moved.

There were five dead people, four savaged so badly as to be unrecognizable, and there was a good chance that their screams and his roars attracted unwanted attention. They would have time to actually talk later, when his mouth could properly make human sounds again. Cloud looked back at Yuffie, who jumped at his sudden movement before falling onto her rear. Her eyes were wide and her jaw was tensed. She said something harshly, but he couldn't understand her words. He understood she was afraid, however. The sound of distant footsteps were growing closer, and he licked his lips nervously; they were running out of time.

He very slowly lifted a paw and pointed a claw behind her, trying to communicate that she should leave. Yuffie stared at him warily, unsure what he was doing. A loud sigh came from his mouth, making Yuffie recoil, and he jabbed the air in the direction he wanted her to go again. Afterwards he started to back away, deciding to find an alternate route home; it would bring less attention to her if a lumbering beast wasn't following behind her. Besides, it seemed to him that Yuffie was too dense for his very basic game of charades. He went off on all fours, hurriedly disappearing from the ninja's sight. _**'Don't just stand there, Yuffie...Run!'**_

* * *

"W-what, you're just gonna leave me here?!" Yuffie asked nervously. So, her feelings were right. That monster was Cloud, and he was hiding it away from them all! Of course he would do that, the dumbass hid his Geostigma until Tifa finally went to his little hidey hole and found out. Now he was putting everyone in danger with this crap. Yuffie promised herself to knock him senseless the next time she saw him.

The noise of people coming ever closer brought Yuffie back to the present. The spunky ninja didn't want to have to deal with the authorities, or worse, friends of those men that were torn to pieces. She may work for the WRO, but she would have a hard time explaining this. She looked around for any more items that would belong to Cloud, recovering his keys from another ruined pocket, and booked it out of the dark alley. Soon, she recognized the area she was in. Yuffie made her way towards the bar, occasionally feeling eyes on her. She didn't know if it were the eyes of humans or an animal. She turned a corner onto the main road towards Seventh Heaven.

"Waaah!" Yuffie cried out as she slammed into someone. As she regained her balance, she noticed it was Tifa she had smashed into. She was breathing heavily, her mahogany eyes huge and her hand holding Yuffie's shoulder. Her other fist had something metal clinging to it, shining in the light of a streetlamp. "Tifa! Omigawd I'm so glad you're here..." Yuffie's face became solemn as she looked at the woman in front of her, remembering Tifa's words on the phone. "...You knew, didn't you?" she whispered.

Tifa slowly nodded. "I'm sorry, Yuffie...He went looking for you. He thought he had enough time to rescue you and get to the Wastes..." Yuffie sighed, then nodded. That sounded like Spike, alright. Now he was roaming around Edge, getting into who knows what kind of trouble. She would yell at them both later for not telling her, but right now they had to make sure Cloud didn't kill anyone that didn't deserve it.

"Should we...look for him?" Yuffie rubbed her neck, unsure what to do. Cloud saved her, after all. Why not return the favor?

Tifa shook her head. "I'll...I'll look. You're hurt as it is." She winced at the bloody facial injuries, hoping Cloud had nothing to do with it. He'd been himself the last time he met Yuffie like this, but she couldn't shake the fear that one day someone wouldn't be so lucky. "Watch the children for us, please." Tifa started to make her way into the darkness of Edge's alleys.

Yuffie nodded, heading towards the bar. "Good luck, Tifa. Please stay safe."

Tifa lifted her fist, a silvery bangle tightly held on it. She gave a small smile, as if to reassure Yuffie. "I'll be fine."

* * *

Cloud released a low and frustrated growl as he searched for his way back home. If he could just hide behind the bar, he could block out the sights and scents of the city. The smells had become even more intense as a wolf, and he could smell humans, trash, stray animals and bodily fluids everywhere. The sounds of the still bustling main roads called to him, filled with people wandering about in the night. They would be so easy to prey upon. Cloud shook his head, trying to put the urges down; he had had enough death for one night, but he wasn't so sure about the instincts that were trying to overwhelm him like the city itself.

Behind him he thought he heard more footsteps, the sounds and smells of others. He growled again before pushing himself forward and away from them, trying to escape possible trouble. There had been enough blood spilled tonight in Cloud's opinion, even if that urge was still there. Looking around the narrow alley he found his next exit, disappearing from any possible pursuers.

Creeping down the dark alleyway he paused, breathing heavily and relishing the reprieve from muted sounds with closed eyes while behind some boxes. _**'Home...Den...Get home.'**_ Cloud plodded through the alley, home being another street over if he remembered right. He peeked out from the other side, one side clear and the other side holding a drunk so plastered Cloud's nose twitched at the stench of alcohol from the far away booze hound. He let out a little snort. He was no threat at all. _**'Not pack...No danger. No kill.'**_ He urged his instincts to not attack, the act just wanton destruction to Cloud.

Tensing, he looked back and forth, then charged towards the next alley. The shout of the drunkard was ignored; the man would would more than likely not remember in the morning, Cloud thought. With a huff Cloud reached the other end of the alley, his footsteps splashing through a puddle of stagnant water from an afternoon rainstorm. He raised himself on his hind legs, then grasped onto a wall while looking about for the final alley. Suddenly he felt something small hit his side, and a burning sensation ripping through his ribs. He fell over in pain, then looked about for the threat. He growled viciously and bared his teeth.

He blinked; it was a woman. Her ruby eyes were as large as saucers on her pale white face. She had fallen on her behind on the sidewalk by his feet, terrified and transfixed by the large glowering beast, a fearful squeak forcing itself out of her mouth as she shook. Cloud slowly raised himself up off the ground, his eyes trained on her and his growls silenced. She said something he couldn't quite understand, except his name. The voice was gentle and worried and afraid, and he sniffed the air around her. That smell that always tamed him, that flowery, heavy scent, even if it was tinged with terror at the moment. He swallowed hard. _**'Tifa...Love. Mine. Protect.'**_ The wolf inside understood, this was his mate. A very special human. He let out a small grumble, then shrunk down to show as little threat as possible.

* * *

Tifa continued to stare at Cloud, unsure what to do. Moments ago he looked like he was going to savagely tear her to shreds, but now he just stood there, dumbfounded at her appearance. She was paralyzed with fear, his large, furry body blood stained. Thoughts of her nightmares ran though her head as she looked him up and down. Breathing quickly, Tifa looked up into his face, the eyes softly glowing in the darkness in her direction. Cloud didn't move, as if he was waiting on her to do something. She swallowed hard before speaking, her voice squeaking from fear. "C-Cloud..." His eyes lit up at the mention of his name, his ears swiveling forward. Tifa pointed towards the next alley slowly with a shaking hand. "Home..." She picked herself up anxiously and moved towards the next alley, looking behind her as he slowly moved onto all fours and trailed behind her like a lost puppy. His head reached above her hips.

It took a huge amount of effort for her to not run away, his hot breath on her legs and ankles giving a spring to her steps. She steadied herself, taking a deep shaking breath then biting her lower lip. _'It's Cloud. It's Cloud. It doesn't matter if he looks like this, it's Cloud.'_ She sighed, looking back as soon as they reached the next alley. He was still at her side, an expectant look on his face. "Almost there, Cloud." Her voice was still full of fear, and the beast picked up on it. Was he frowning? She looked back, checking to see if the coast was clear. Her lips twitched. _'Even like this...He can give one of his famous frowns.'_

The street was abandoned, and she made her way towards the bar as Cloud trotted behind her. They hugged against the buildings on the far side of the road, coming to the small passage that led to the back of the garage entrance. Cloud crawled in front of her, finding a corner he could hide in. He laid down, a grateful expression growing on his face. Tifa hesitated, then slowly walked over to the large monster. She sat next to him with her knees tucked in towards her chest. She took the silver bracelet off of her fist, placing it in a pocket, and immediately noticed a sigh of sorts from Cloud.

"So...this is...you, Cloud." She hesitantly stretched a shaking hand out to him, still scared but determined to overcome this fear with his help. Cloud nudged it gently with his nose while looking up at her. His ears were facing forward, listening to her voice. She very slowly ran her fingers through his head fur, the sensation very obviously relaxing him as he closed his eyes with a deep hum. "You're like a big dog..." She almost giggled as she crossed her legs on the dry pavement. Cloud's large head gently sat in her lap, the beast enjoying the sensations of Tifa's fingers in his fur. "What will we ever do with you," she whispered, and Cloud let loose a tired sigh through his nose.

Tifa sat there, rubbing the large beast's head for what seemed like forever. Cloud was fast asleep with his head in her lap, his body laying on its side in the shade of the side alley. Tifa carefully took her phone from her pocket without disturbing the slumbering beast, messaging Yuffie that they were both safe and to put the kids to bed, and that she would see them in the morning. turning her phone off, she put it back in her pocket. A sigh escaped her lips. "Cloud..." she whispered, not expecting a response.

* * *

Yuffie had been entertaining the children for the last hour, avoiding their more pressed questions as to Tifa's whereabouts or why she was so pale and jittery, or why her face was scraped up. Marlene had gotten tired of playing cards and instead wanted to know where her mother figure was. "Aunt Yuffie! It's almost midnight. Where's Tifa?"

The ninja shook her head. "She's out looking for Cloud...He, um...forgot his phone!" That should be a good enough excuse.

Denzel looked at Yuffie, then at Marlene. He whispered into the little girl's ear. "Was that a good idea?" Marlene shrugged in response, unsure.

Denzel made a face, then looked back at Yuffie. "But he would be back in the morning. He's doing an overnight delivery, right? I don't think he'd need his phone that badly..."

The ninja shrugged, scratching her back. "I...I guess." Her eyes were wide.

Marlene hopped up and down. "We should go look for Tifa then!"

Yuffie shook her head furiously. "No! Tifa told me to watch over you guys until she came back." The ninja looked over at the clock, it was nearly midnight. She looked back at the children. "In fact, you two gotta go to bed now!" They should have been in bed a couple of hours ago as it was.

"We don't have school tomorrow, we can stay up and look!" Denzel protested.

"I'm puttin' my foot down, you gotta sleep! Here, I'll tuck you in." She tussled with the children, finally getting them into their respective beds after more defiant posturing from the children. Yuffie tucked them in tightly while giving them an exasperated look.

"Look, guys...I promise. I'll try to get a hold of Tifa. But I also promised her I'd stay here with you guys, so...Don't try to make me break my promise to her." She was pleading with the children at this point.

Denzel and Marlene looked at each other from their beds, then back at Yuffie. "Okay, Aunt Yuffie," they said in unison. Yuffie let out a huge sigh.

"Thank you! I'm gonna see if I can get a hold of Tifa. Good night, kiddos!" She made her way out of the bedroom to the glow of the hallway, stomping down the stairs into the low lit bar. She took her phone out, ready to message Tifa. As she flipped it open, a message came from from the barmaid; The ninja mumbling out the words. Put the kids to bed? Way ahead of you, Tifa. "...Where's a safe place, though?" She messaged Tifa back as her head rested on the counter of the bar while she sat on a stool.

Yuffie bounced her foot, waiting for a reply. She wondered if Cloud had been looking at her like she was a tender little pork chop, but she shoved the thought out of her mind almost as soon as it had come to mind. He protected her from those men, to the point that they were barely recognizable. She sniffled a little bit, wondering what could have possibly befallen Cloud this time. As upset as she was at him, she couldn't help but feel sad for him too. Hadn't life been cruel enough to him? Again she looked at her phone, then sighed heavily while mumbling for Tifa to pick up. She never got a response back before she succumbed to her mental and physical exhaustion after the evening's events.


	9. Talk of the Town

"Mmm..." Cloud slowly opened his eyes, his head resting on something soft and warm. He looked up at Tifa's drooping head, her face peaceful in sleep despite the uncomfortable position. The grey light of dawn created a halo of light around her, and her hand had been covering his soft spiky hair. He slowly moved himself away from her lap; Tifa had always been a heavy sleeper compared to him, and didn't stir. Cloud looked at his hands, dried blood over his fingers and a coppery taste lingering in his mouth still. He licked his lips and rubbed at his face. _'Really did a number on those bastards,'_ he thought to himself. He was uncaring about their modes of death by him.

Hell, he felt proud of the act of saving Yuffie from those cretins, the thought of pitying them never even crossing his mind except as some joke. He supposed Denzel and Marlene were right about him beating up the bad guys after all. Maybe, he mused, he was integrating the bestial instincts into him on his own terms, though what that might mean for his human life he wasn't quite sure just yet. Yawning, he looked back at Tifa, and he shook her gently, trying to wake her; it would be bad form to be caught by the neighbors like this. "Tifa..." He nudged her again, calling for her.

Tifa shifted and groaned as she moved her stiff neck about, her eyes still closed as her neck crunched back into place. She looked towards the sound of her name, her eyes opening to a naked, dirty Cloud, his knees tucked to his chest as he leaned against the wall. His body was smeared with dried blood and dirt caked his legs, and he looked at her with an uncomfortable look on his face; blush illuminated his cheeks. "...Mornin'," he mumbled in greeting.

Tifa rubbed her eyes, not surprised by his dirty, naked visage. "Cloud...Morning..." She slowly stood up, stretching her stiff body as Cloud sat still, watching his lover work the kinks out of her body. Finishing, she looked down at Cloud; he was beginning to shiver without any clothing to warm him. Tifa held out her gloved hand and he took it, rising from his position despite his embarrassment over his physical state. She rustled through her pockets, looking for her keys, and at last finding them she fumbled for the garage door button.

With a click, it opened with the sound of metal chains pulling the door up; the two sneaked into the dark garage, Fenrir glinting from the pale dawn's light. Quickly shutting it again, Cloud held his hand out to Tifa, and together they made their way to the back of the room. The warm darkness hugged them both as they tip-toed about. Tifa slowly opened the door to the bar, peeking about. Yuffie was fast asleep at the counter, mumbling in her sleep.

Tifa motioned for Cloud, and they both quickly entered the bar and went up the stairs as quietly as they could; she stayed in front of him in case the children barged out of their room, trying to hide his nakedness. A sleepy shout issued from downstairs, and Cloud swiftly made his way to the bathroom. He shut and locked the door as the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs after him, and the sounds of little feet falling from beds and a door opening. He wondered if everyone living here besides Tifa was a light sleeper, and he breathed quickly from the dreadful thrill of streaking in his own home. Sighing to himself, he turned on the shower and hopped in, letting the hot water rinse away last night's bloody evidence and rejuvenating his body.

* * *

"Hey! Hey! You thought you could sneak in here like nothin' happened?!" Yuffie immediately stopped ranting at Tifa, looking at the two children that had appeared in the doorway next to her. _'Poor guys...Don't even know what Cloud's become...'_ She looked over at the children, still rubbing their eyes and yawning; it must still be early. "Uh, me and Tifa gotta talk, and Cloud, too! It's adult stuff, you see..." She tapped her fingers together.

Tifa rubbed a bleary eye with a hand, breathing through her nose. "They know about Cloud, Yuffie."

Yuffie gawked. "You mean to tell me you'll tell the kids, but not me?! What the hell is wrong with you two!" she shouted. The children giggled, and the ninja looked back at them with a pout.

"We found out about Cloud, they didn't tell us anything." Denzel said.

Tifa crossed her arms. "I was the last to find out..." The thought still annoyed her, despite understanding why. Cloud would always try to keep his problems to himself so no one else worried. She supposed he would never learn.

Yuffie held her face in her hands, groaning. "That guy is such a pain in the ass." Tifa giggled, nodding her head.

"Cloud is Cloud..." Tifa chuckled some more, then turned around to head into their bedroom. "I'll start making some breakfast as soon as I clean up. If you want to rest until then, it might be an hour or so." Reaching the bedroom, Tifa found some clothing for Cloud to wear; the usual black pants and a greenish shirt, and a pair of boxers. She went to the closet by the bathroom, picking out a towel, and then knocked on the bathroom door. "It's me," she said.

A mumbled answer to come in came from the other side of the door and she opened up into the steamy room, warm mist clinging to her exposed legs. Shutting the door, she placed the clean clothing on top of the metal rack opposite the sink and held onto the towel, leaning on the porcelain of the sink with her eyes closed. She heard Cloud let out a refreshed sigh, then the sound of the knobs squeaking as the water shut off. A few moments later he moved back the shower curtain, his normally gravity defying hair clinging to his now clean face. It drooped down to his shoulders, and he pulled back and squeezed excess water from his locks.

Tifa handed him the towel, a thanks given in response. He looked Tifa up and down with an unreadable expression, then went to work drying his body off, finally rubbing the moisture out of his hair; the locks poofed up like a chocobo's behind. Cloud looked back at Tifa as he fetched his boxers. "...Thank you for your help last night."

Tifa flashed a half smile, looking down at her fingers as Cloud fumbled with his clothing, finally clean after the events of last night. Deep in thought, she didn't notice him come closer until his lips were on her cheek, the spiky haired man giving her a snuggling hug; she returned the hug back, humming softly. When they finally parted, they held each other's hands, and she looked into his rich blue eyes. _'I guess those eyes will always look at me like that.'_ the thought reassuring. "I better get ready, too." She went to prepare for her own shower, Cloud leaving the bathroom with her before parting as he went downstairs.

Cloud let out a sniffle, the scent of coffee welcome after the long, difficult night. Yuffie was sitting down at the counter, a mug in her hand already and a grumpy look on her face as she looked up at him. He snorted at her before walking over to a cabinet for a mug and pouring a cup of the hot, caffeinated liquid. Rummaging through the fridge, he located the creamer and poured some into his drink, then stirred it as he put the it back where it was before. He went to sit next to Yuffie, the ninja doing and saying nothing. Cloud enjoyed his coffee in peace for a few moments before speaking.

"...Sorry if I was late again," Cloud said, slowly looking over to his friend. Yuffie's face was unreadable as she sipped from her mug, and he winced as he got a closer look at the small cut on the side of her face from her fall. It could have been so much worse...

Yuffie looked him up and down, a groan escaping her lips. "You need to work on your entrance, Spike. Or you're gonna end up with my shuriken in your chest." She heaved a heavy breath, steadying herself. "And for Da Chao's sake, don't keep your friends in the dark when you have a damn problem! Thought I was gonna die by fur-ball last night, Gawd..."

Cloud had a half smile on his face, his friend's chastisement heartening. "I only wanted to kill those bastards that hurt you."

"Tifa said you thought you had enough time to get me and leave...What happened to that? Just wanted to give me a show, and half scare the life outta me?" She got up to fix another cup of coffee as she spoke, stirring in cream and sugar. Yuffie walked back over to her seat, waiting for Cloud's response. He seemed to be thinking back, a frown on his face.

He looked towards her, his face showing vexation at whatever he remembered. Yuffie shrunk back a little, staring at him. "...When I found you, you almost made it into the alley I was lurking in, but then they knocked you out before I could join the fight..." The ninja instinctively put her hand to her chest, where the prongs entered her and zapped her so hard she collapsed. He looked down. "...And when I heard what they said they were going to do to you...I snapped." Cloud looked away, sipping his coffee.

"Just like the other night, huh..." She stirred her coffee absentmindedly, remembering that the assailants knew who she was. She was going to have to watch her back now, if there were people after her for ransom money. "I really don't know how I'm gonna keep up with this. You already saved my ass twice in less than a month." She made it sound so flippant, and Cloud rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Yuffie." The ninja snorted at his remark, shaking her head after another sip from her mug.

"I still wanna knock you silly for keeping this from me. Your friends can't help you if you won't say anything to us." The young woman tapped her nails on the counter, looking at him.

Cloud took a long swig of his drink, finishing it off. "I guess you're right. Can you blame me, though? Werewolves aren't known to be cuddly little balls of fur, full of love and sunshine." He noted he sure as hell wasn't cuddly, unless it was someone from his...pack. Especially Tifa.

Yuffie let out a little chuckle, pointing at her friend as he fixed another mug. He looked back at her as she spoke. "That's true and all, but you seem like you're gonna be a pain no matter what." She drummed her fingers on her cheeks, a mischievous grin on her face as a scenario went through her mind. Cloud, his hair still fluffy from the towel drying he gave it, frowned at the look she was giving him as he sipped his fresh cup of coffee. "What will Barret think, Marlene livin' with a werewolf?"

Cloud spit his mouthful of coffee out, spewing the hot fluid onto the floor. "Oh, hell no, he'd shoot a hundred silver bullets into my chest. There's no way I'm tellin' him!" He actually looked afraid of the thought of Barret confronting him. Cloud had obviously forgotten that the big, burly man liked to visit when he could and see Marlene, his adopted daughter.

Thinking about it, Cloud saw the little girl as a daughter, too. Denzel especially he looked at as his son, though the words were strange to even think about. He could easily admit that he cared deeply for the children however, the two along with Tifa were his support in day to day life. He loved them, and he'd slaughter anyone that would hurt a hair on their head, either with his swords or now his claws.

"Damn...Thanks for that thought, Yuffie." Cloud began cleaning his mess up with some paper towels, the ninja cackling at his reaction. Tifa came down the stairs as he cleaned, mumbling coming from the spiky haired man as he wiped the coffee up and thought about his inevitable death by Barret's hand cannon. Tifa looked down at him, then up at Yuffie, the young woman smiling evilly.

"I see you two are back to your usual bickering," Tifa mused as she retrieved a pan hanging from under a cabinet. She placed it on the stove, then went through the fridge as Cloud got up from his knees. The werewolf's craving for meat had shrunk her bacon stores; she'd have to go out later for more. Picking out the last package and the egg carton, she placed it on the counter. "Any requests for breakfast?" Yuffie shrugged, uncaring so long as it was good. Cloud gave much the same response, Tifa knowing he'd be happy as long as the breakfast contained meat.

* * *

The family walked down the road, heading towards a shopping district to purchase new clothing; not only did the children need some new clothing for the upcoming Summer, Cloud had to buy himself some new boots and replace the clothing he ruined last night while protecting Yuffie. For now, the black sneakers he normally wore while doing work on his bike or for quick excursions outside would suffice. His green-grey shirt stood out over his black jeans, and Tifa wore a blue blouse and white shorts.

"Cloud! We heard you took care of a bunch of bad guys last night." Denzel hugged his side, and Marlene hugged onto Tifa, the kids happy that their hero was taking the day off.

"Yeah! Aunt Yuffie said you made sure they were sorry for hurting her!" Marlene was beaming at him, neither of them understanding that "taking care" of bad guys involved him tearing them to shreds like they were wet pinatas. Tifa raised a brow, her free hand to her mouth. Cloud wasn't sure if she was hiding a smile or a frown; she had been hard to read since after breakfast, even with his keen sense of smell.

"She loves to tell you guys everything, huh..." Cloud frowned, not wanting the children to think such things of him. They nodded at him, little smiles plastered on their faces. He sighed, shaking his head over Yuffie and her penchant for telling the children every possible thing that occurred between him and her.

Entering the store, Cloud followed Tifa's lead, the woman knowing exactly where to go in the clothing shop; he was clueless and totally out of his element when it came to clothing. Proper measurements, size charts, what looked best with what. Cloud had a good idea of what he liked to wear, and kept to his usual style or something more casual around the house. Years of being either an infantryman or a science experiment on the run didn't help with his civilian life, though he had much improved since Meteorfall; he hadn't even known the name of various vegetables Tifa needed for the bar until she taught him.

He'd figure out clothing stuff later.

Moving towards the men's section, Tifa searched out replacements for Cloud's ruined ensemble, putting a shirt up to him here and there and putting to the side any that looked like they would be a proper fit. He stood there like a good mannequin, using the time to listen to the bustle of human voices that softly filled the large store, and attempting to block out Marlene and Denzel's nearby discussion on what sunglasses looked better.

"...They said there was five dead people on Fira Street." Cloud's ears perked at the mention of last night's events.

"I heard it was a stray monster that found its way into the city. Do they know who the victims were?" The woman's voice sounded concerned.

"They haven't released the names yet. They're still cleaning up the mess..."

"A buddy of mine who was at the scene this morning said there was ripped clothing everywhere, so there might be a sixth victim."

"Really? Edge certainly feels less safe after last night..."

Cloud swallowed, never one to enjoy being the talk of the town. All they had to do was not harass his friend, and they'd still be alive and in one piece. _'I hope this doesn't complicate things down the road...'_ he thought to himself, the possibility of some detective getting on the case quite strong; especially if their boss was someone with strings to pull in the local government, if they even cared at all that their underlings were killed in a...random monster rampage.

"What's wrong, Cloud?" Tifa was looking over some pants that were the proper measurements for him. She looked up, brows together. "You're frowning."

He looked around, then came closer to whisper in her ear. "Looks like my rescue is the talk of the town, today."

Tifa folded the pants and placed them down, next to the shirt pile. "You aren't surprised, are you?"

"No. I guess I'm just a little anxious." He fidgeted a little, resembling a child who had gotten themselves into trouble to Tifa. She smiled at him, picking up the bundle of clothing and ushering him towards the shoes to look for new boots. He wandered towards a pair that seemed almost identical to the ones he had lost, trying on a few pairs until he found the proper fit. Just in case, he picked up two pairs, thinking it would be best to not have to go out again in case something like last night happened again.

Sitting at the front of the store with his purchased items in bags, he waited patiently for Tifa to finish her shopping; the children needed new shorts and sandals, and Marlene wanted a new summer dress. A middle aged man sat next to Cloud, the man talking to his friend. He patted Cloud on the shoulder to get his attention, the werewolf looking over towards him.

"Hey, what d'you think about those attacks last night? Pretty scary, huh?"

Cloud tried his best to not look uncomfortable. "I guess so...Uh, I just got back into town, so the news is pretty fresh."

The man nodded quickly, patting Cloud's shoulder yet again. "Ah, well it happened last night! Let me tell you, I saw a big, yellow wolf monster roaming the streets last night, and it was comin' from the street those men were at!

Cloud's face drained of color, the man ribbing him for his reaction. "Um, did you see which way it went?"

The man shook his head. "Disappeared into an alleyway. No idea where it went after that."

Cloud nodded slowly, and he calmed down. It'll be harder to pin him down than he thought.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice Tifa and the kids approach him until her voice chimed at him, the kids requesting an ice cream as Cloud stood up from his seat to join his family. They left the store and entered the sunny, beautiful spring day. Maybe it would all blow over, he thought with a smile.


	10. A Good Time and Complications

"So..." Cloud began, laying on his back with his hands behind his head. The day after his night rampage had been surprisingly good, despite the city bustling with rumors about his work. He'd gotten some new clothing and boots, and the family had gone out for ice cream afterwards, despite his lack of desire for sweets anymore. Most were far too sweet ever since he became a werewolf, though he found ice cream in small amounts wasn't bad at all. He figured the cold and dairy may have something to do with it.

"Hm?" Tifa looked over at him, laying a little closer to Cloud than in past nights.

"...Do you think I'll give you nightmares tonight?" He had a half smile on his face, putting Tifa on the spot before bed like this was a naughty pleasure. He heard her sigh as she sat up on the bed, streetlights illuminating her back and dark hair softly. Tifa sat like that for a moment, playing with her fingers.

"...I don't think so, Cloud. I think I'll be alright. I...I think with you, I'll be okay." She felt his calloused hand rubbing her back a little, trying to coax her to lay back down with him. Tifa looked back at him; Cloud was on his side facing her now, his eyes glowing in the dark and staring at her...She laid back down, propping her upper body up with her elbow while facing Cloud. With her free hand she stroked his hair, running her fingers through his soft spikes; he closed his eyes with a peaceful smile on his face, obviously enjoying the attention. She giggled. "This helps, I think...You're not so scary when all you want is for me to pet you..." Cloud gave her a small chuckle.

"I could get used to it..." he said in a low voice, raising his brows momentarily. The sensation of her fingers running through his hair and dancing on his scalp immediately calmed him, the same sensation from last night helping him block out the city's noises and smells. He flashed her a content smile, his eyes opening a little to look at Tifa. He cupped her cheek in his hand as she continued to pet his head. "I don't know what I'd do with out you sometimes, Teef."

Tifa smiled back at him, rubbing behind his ear. Her fears after last night felt as if they were somewhat tamed, though she knew if she met any other werewolf besides him it would probably send the terrors backs into her heart. But, she could handle Cloud, that she was sure of after her encounter with him the night before. "Cloud..."

He reached over and kissed her, his hand running through her hair now. She returned the kiss happily, her lover cradling her in his arms. When their lips finally parted, he rested his head above hers on the pillows. He gently rubbed her ear with his thumb. She kept her hand on the side of his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breath with her head close to his neck. They laid there happily, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Cloud awoke slowly, the morning sun flooding the bedroom with his back warming from the light. He yawned, stretching his limbs and back as he shook off the dreamless night, gradually shuffling off the bed. The scent of Tifa's cooking caught in his nose, and he instinctively licked his lips at the smell of meat and eggs; he was certain that his eyes glinted with a feral light as his wolfish instincts demanded he investigate the smell, and he was happy to comply for once.

Tifa had been cooking steak and eggs, something she would occasionally treat the family to if steak was on sale. The children had already gone to school, the woman preparing meals for herself, Yuffie and Cloud now. The werewolf sauntered down the stairs, greeting both women as he fixed up his coffee. Yuffie was reading a newspaper she had purchased from a passing paper boy, snickering at the front page. Sitting next to her, Cloud frowned.

"What's so funny, Yuffie?" His eyes were narrowed as he spoke.

She looked back at him, giving him a lopsided smile. "Your rescue is first page in the Edge Times! Bravo, Spike!"

Cloud cringed, looking down into his full cup. "Damn it...What does it say?" His voice was anxious.

Yuffie blew air out of her mouth, a little bit of her bangs floating upward. "Let's see here..." Her fingers danced over the paper, the black letters under a detective's drawing of the monster responsible. "At least five dead in unprecedented monster attack in Edge. Saturday night, a monster cornered and left five bodies on Fira street, then escaped off into the night. The picture above is a composite sketch from various witnesses of the creature; please be mindful of dark areas in the city and keep children inside after dark. Authorities will be searching for the monster and hope to terminate the threat quickly." Yuffie looked back up to Cloud, the blond sipping his drink.

"Searching, huh? They'll have to wait about a month, if I can help it." He sipped his coffee again, rolling his eyes.

Yuffie chuckled. "Oh, man. Always up to trouble..." She looked back at the paper, squinting distastefully. "Looks like they still haven't released the names of the dead. Oh, Evan Townshend is one of the detectives hired for the search. Wasn't he someone you're acquainted with, Cloud?"

Cloud nodded, clearly annoyed that the private detective was going to be on his case despite the generally friendly relations they had. "Damn. Well, I was out of town that night, right?" The two women nodded. Tifa came forward with two plates, placing one by Cloud and another by Yuffie. Tifa went to collect her own plate, then sat next to Cloud, who was already cutting into his steak. To his delight, it was rare, and he looked towards Tifa, giving her a thankful smile as she winked at him.

"Hopefully it all just blows over soon, after all it was just a bunch of cronies looking to kidnap an innocent princess!" the ninja said between bites of steak and eggs.

Cloud grunted, looking up from his meal. "...And the person in charge of intelligence gathering for the WRO." He ate some scrambled egg, looking back at Yuffie.

"Oh yeah, that too. Hm." Yuffie put her fork to her lips, thinking. "I kinda owe you, so I'll try and disrupt the investigation with some bad info. As for the jerks that attacked me, I'll try and see if I can get their identities and the name of their boss. Maybe you can wreck him next." She sliced into her meat, finished with her thoughts.

Cloud swallowed a chunk of meat, the bloody flesh putting him in a better mood after the bad news. "Only if they insist on it, really. I don't want to make waves if I can help it."

Yuffie shrugged, Tifa casually listening to the two go back and forth. "I'd hang low for a bit if I were you, stay around the bar in case anyone comes around that...smells like those schmucks."

"I'd be risking tearing them up in the bar if they happened to look at Tifa the wrong way. Why do you think I was out in the Wastes that night your car broke down?"

Yuffie tapped her plate with her fork, a smirk forming. "Oh, yeah. That possessive streak of yours is something else. I remember that one time you knocked some guy out because he drunkenly slapped Tifa's ass..." A giggle came from Tifa. It was true, he was possessive of Tifa around strange men. Bar regulars seemed to respect her so he never minded them, but there was always that one guy that needed to learn his place. His recent werewolf conversion had ramped it up to an eleven, the spiky haired man had to leave the bar during particularly busy nights just so he wouldn't massacre every possible challenger. "Still, I'm gonna need you to sniff'em out if they show up. Just contact me, okay? We'll teach them a lesson together."

Cloud grunted. "I'll keep you posted. Thanks, Yuffie."

* * *

Cloud's troubles seem to have paused for the moment; he was hoping that the attempts to locate him would be unsuccessful and the authorities would give up. Mid-morning Yuffie left, running off in a WRO vehicle that was part of the search and exterminate mission looking for Cloud's less cuddly form, the ninja hugging them goodbye and thanking them for letting her stay for so long. They watched as the truck disappeared down the road, hoping their friend could find out something of interest. The couple looked at each other, suddenly alone on the front steps of the bar.

Tifa blushed. "Guess it's just us, until the kids get back from school..."

Cloud looked down, kicking dust. He sniffed the air...Hm. "Tifa..."

"...Hm?" Tifa's blush reddened, Cloud's brows rising.

"You got over your fear pretty quick." He snatched her waist, bringing her close to him, and she let out a small, happy squeak. "Are you sure you want a troublemaker of a wolf for a lover?" He was giving her a half lidded gaze and a naughty grin. He could smell it, she was ready for him again and he wouldn't say no to the opportunity if she would allow him, all she had to do was say so. Being a werewolf certainly compounded the situation, and he realized neither of them had had any kind of release since she put it on hiatus about a month ago.

Tifa laughed, resting her head on his chest. "Cloud...I'm very sure."

He sniffed her hair, her scent holding that heavy smell like that one night, before he told her...He took her hand, taking them into the bar and locking the door. Tifa let out a little giggle, and he gave a small laugh back as they made their way up the stairs and into the bedroom.

Tifa bounced onto the bed and pulled off her blouse, her face red and her hair wild over her shoulders from their quick retreat into the bedroom. Cloud looked at her as he unzipped his shirt, soaking in the sight of her as she watched him undress his torso, her cheeks flush and legs shyly crossed. She mewled his name and he came forward, crawling over her and giving her a kiss; she opened her mouth, both letting their tongues entwine as they probed each other's mouths. Cloud slowly grabbed a breast, her bra fabric covering aroused nipples that he rubbed a thumb over.

Tifa moaned as they kissed and he grinded. She parted their lips, Cloud using his arms to push his chest up and allowing Tifa room to take off her bra; he fumbled with the bra's front latches with one hand as she maneuvered the other side, finally removing it. He brought himself down again for another kiss. When he finally raised himself up again from her, he was inches from her face, a hand wrapped in her long, chocolate brown hair.

She noticed his cerulean eyes had that feral glint that came when his wolfish instincts were aroused, his eyes half open as he looked at her with panting breaths. She kissed his neck, the sensation of his partner's mouth on his vulnerable throat a massive turn on. His breath hitched and his Adam's apple bobbed, distracted by gentle nibbles...And then Tifa had her legs wrapped around his hips, using her martial arts training to deftly flip him on the bed; his head pointed towards the door now, Tifa looking at him mischievously. He snorted, amused by the little move she used. _'Tifa is always filled with surprises...'_

"On top this time?" Cloud said playfully, a smile forming on his face as he pushed his hips against her core, making her gasp. He gave Tifa a throaty, needy growl, dragging her gently back to his mouth. She happily complied.

* * *

A man approached the bar, looking about his environment. He was familiar with this place, the owner was instrumental in his search for his mother. Now, he needed her and her live-in boyfriend for some possible information on the slaughter of some men. Men that the WRO were having trouble identifying; there were no IDs on them. He had been on the scene since early in the morning, taking pictures and jotting down notes of things he found important.

He paused a moment, craning his neck. He thought he heard two noisy people within the bar, or perhaps in a neighbor's building. Attempting to open the door, he noticed the door was locked; strange considering it was about lunch time and the closed sign was no where to be seen. He knocked on the door lightly, waiting a few moments before knocking harder. A moment later, the noisy people stopped whatever they were doing; he blushed as he thought of what he could have possibly interrupted. Perhaps it would have been a better idea to come in the evening, he thought. He heard the yell of a woman on the other side to give her five minutes, the man leaning against the wall next to the door patiently waiting, playing with his black hat brim.

A few minutes later the door unlocked, and Tifa Lockhart came into view; there was a slight blush on her face, and her hair was slightly disheveled. She immediately recognized him, greeting him by name and ushering him into the bar, putting her "Closed" sign on the knob before shutting the door. Fixing him some hot tea, she stood at the counter. "Evan! It's been a while. How have you been?"

* * *

Cloud cleaned himself up in the bathroom, making himself as presentable as possible for the detective who decided to interrupt Tifa and his hours long love making session. He supposed he wasn't too terribly upset; he was staying home the next week and that would give for plenty of opportunities for the two to enjoy each other's company; perhaps Tifa needed a break today, anyway. Still, no matter how clean he felt he couldn't get rid of the smell of sex. Perhaps it was just his senses, the smell clinging to the air.

He checked his face for any signs of change; Cloud had noticed that as the session went on his fangs had grown out slightly as he pleasured Tifa, her scent driving him into a frenzy. Pulling back his lip, the offending teeth had retreated back to their now normal lengths, and his ears seemed to be normal. Focusing on his chest, he checked for any hot sensations; his heartbeat was still a little fast but there was no burning sensation. Satisfied, he left the bathroom and headed downstairs.

"Hm. Well, you're the one I wanted to talk to most." Evan motioned towards Cloud as he came into view, remembering the delivery boy from almost two years ago when he had inquired about fuel underhandedly. Giving a nod to the private investigator, he didn't take his eyes off Evan as he went to lean on the counter in front of him. "I'm sure you're already familiar with the recent slayings in the city?"

Cloud nodded. "I was out of town that night..."

Evan took a sip of his tea. "Is that so?"

Cloud's face stayed expressionless. "Yeah. I have a business making deliveries, you know."

"Ah. Yes. I remember". Evan seemed to be looking over the clothing Cloud wore, the latter looking about, uncertain what the detective was up to. "You know, Cloud...Your clothing is familiar."

Cloud gave a frown. Tifa stood in the corner of the bar behind the counter, looking between them, her cheeks pink.

Evan took out his note book, and pulled something out of his pocket, hiding it in his hand. "See, there was torn clothing everywhere in the alleyway." He dropped whatever was in his hand, a few scraps of fabric that matched Cloud's usual outfit of a high collar sleeveless indigo shirt, his black pants, and some rubber from a boot fell to the counter. Cloud picked up some of the material, rubbing it between his fingers.

Cloud shrugged. "So, someone else fancied my clothing tastes, and now they're dead, right? What does it have to do with me?"

Evan shrugged. "Just thought you might be a witness...Or knew who the owner of the clothing was."

"Sorry that I can't help."

Tifa coughed, getting both men's attention. She held a serious expression on her face, one Evan remembered from the time he asked her how to get to Nibelheim. "Are there any names yet? For the victims, I mean..."

Evan shook his head, but seemed to consider the woman who helped him two years ago as he pocketed the material again. He cracked open his notebook, looking at the official pictures; one was of a severed head, the face intact, and the other was a man with a snapped neck. "Now, I hope you're quiet about this," he looked up at Tifa and then seemed to stare into Cloud's eyes longer than necessary, then back at the notebook, "We have two intact faces; one looked like it belonged to someone I came into contact with in the slums before...A Guz Lodeen."

Cloud looked up, eyes closed. "Guz Lodeen..." He looked back slowly at Evan. The detective blinked his icy blue eyes behind black dyed hair, his face unreadable.

Evan jotted something down in his notebook. "Yes. Anyway, I might come by again later, if anything turns up or you hear anything, I'd be willing to swap information." He dug through his pockets again, this time leaving some gil for the tea. "Thank you for your time." He stood up from his seat and gave a refined nod to the couple, then went towards the door, disappearing beyond.

Cloud let out a sigh. "Good thing I didn't have my wallet on me that night, would have complicated things a bit." Tifa gave his hand a pat, smiling. He looked back at her, scratching the back of his head. "Guess you have to open the bar now..." He thought a moment. "And I guess I'll clean the sheets, before the kids get back home."

* * *

Evan walked back into the bright light of day, something else in his hand as he walked down the road. He looked at the card, a WRO access card for Cloud Strife, his stoic face staring back at him in the sunlight. The detective had found it in a ruined pocket of the strewn fabric, pocketing it before the scene workers would notice.

He frowned, still unsure what connection Cloud would have to the slayings. It was clearly done by a monster, except for the fifth body; his neck had been broken by blunt force, a dirty foot print on his neck. Would Cloud kill like that, and what about the monster? There were sightings of the beast that night but not since.

Evan admitted he didn't know Cloud particularly well, but he was always unassuming...except for the fact he knew Don Corneo and somehow acquired free gas from him. That was suspicious, but there was no possible connection between this and that; did Cloud see something he wished he could have forgotten? Did he kill the man with the broken neck, and was somehow ambushed by the monster? What about his clothing everywhere?

There were more questions now, but he must prevail, if just for his employers.


	11. Mastering Yourself

"Hmm..." Evan jotted down some more notes. He had been watching Seventh Heaven and especially Cloud the last two weeks. The blond man had stayed in the vicinity of the bar for a few days, then back to his deliveries up through the second week, though naturally Evan didn't stray from the city to pry; there were too many monsters outside the city still. His behavior had given the detective no reason to suspect he knew the slum resident slaughtered in the alleyway, and the corpses of those killed withheld their identities; the local government had given them a pauper's funeral.

In fact, the WRO had come up with absolutely nothing, their head of intelligence offering that all evidence she had uncovered indicated that the monster had simply moved on; indeed she might be correct as there hadn't been a sighting or victims since. Evan had been given payment for his assistance, but he had decided he wanted to get to the bottom of Cloud's obvious involvement in the case. He lived too close to Evan for him not to wonder if Cloud had a shadier side to him. Well, a shadier side than the one that intimidated mob bosses and cross dressed. He hadn't the courage to ask him about that picture.

Watching from the roof of his business and home, Evan watched Cloud during the day as he spoke to someone over the phone on the front steps of the bar, the street empty before the lunch hour. His binoculars focused on the delivery boy's face, a consternated look warping his pale countenance. He put his cellphone down, putting it in his back pocket, then looked around. Evan hid on his roof, crouching down so the man wouldn't notice him. Peeking back up when he felt the coast was clear, Cloud had disappeared from view. Sighing, Evan decided to go back to the bar in a short while, and perhaps pick up some gossip with his lunch.

He went downstairs, the home empty for now. Kyrie was at her part time job at a cafe, and Vits was at school, the final weeks before summer vacation dwindling down. Evan thought a moment, wondering how Cloud could sometimes almost seem to know he was there, watching. After a while, he had decided to watch from a distance instead as a safer substitute; some of the looks Cloud had given him had stopped him in his tracks. At the bottom of the stairs, he slid behind his desk, fishing out some evidence in his case before walking towards the door and out into Edge. He quickly made his way to Seventh Heaven and opened the door, ready for a hot meal.

"Hello, Evan! Fancy seeing you here again!" Tifa chimed at him, giving him a smile. He returned it back out of politeness, knowing her smile was as fake as his. She took his order, the detective taking the lunch special and his usual black tea. Turning around towards the stove, Tifa began to cook, looking back at Evan to speak. "So...is it true they stopped the investigation?" Her smile seemed more sincere now, he noticed.

Evan sipped some of his tea. "It's true, they've canceled it. They said the monster was no longer in the city." Did she just sigh? "...But I'm still investigating." She turned around again, a small frown on her face.

"Still investigating?" Tifa repeated. "How come?" Her attention momentarily went back to Evan's lunch cooking in the pan.

"I have a family on this street, you know. I want to make sure they'll be safe." That wasn't the only part. Cloud had obviously been at the scene; he had run past Vits that evening towards the alley, and what's more...after the horrible roar, Evan had kept watch from a ground level window in his building. He had seen Tifa pass by, then Kisaragi. "Aren't you worried any, for your children?"

"...Not recently, no. It's been quiet lately. I still have the kids stay inside after dark if neither of us are with them, but we already did that before the incident..." She placed his finished meal on a plate, then turned around and landed it softly in front of Evan. Tifa gave him an appraising look, as if wanting to tell him something. "I suppose since there isn't an official investigation any more, there's no more fresh information, is there?"

Evan stabbed at his food but paused, unsure what to say to her. Tell her a little? "...There were some witnesses who saw people running to and from the scene."

Tifa put a hand to her chest, but quickly covered her surprised expression. "Oh...did they see who it was?" She turned around to put the pan in the sink, the water running.

Evan swallowed some of his lunch. "Two females, and someone matching Cloud's description...but he was on an overnight delivery, correct?"

"...Yeah." Tifa began scrubbing the pan, as if trying to ignore the conversation.

Evan left it at that for now, preferring to eat his meal while it was still hot. Tifa's cooking was something different but very good, combining tastes from Midgar and supposedly Nibelheim. Despite the region abounding with backwater villages that shared the same language, beliefs and culture, Tifa was one of the last of the Nibelese from the largest, oldest settlement of that area.

She looked back, a thoughtful expression on her face. Tifa came up to the counter, looking at the detective as he finished his lunch. "We did say we'd swap information, right? We did some sleuthing of our own on that person you mentioned..." She tapped her fingers against the counter, and took a small inhale of air. "Guz Lodeen. He worked for a small time mob boss that's working from the Sector 4 industrial area, right outside Midgar."

Evan gave the faintest of smiles, finishing his now lukewarm tea. _'More than I thought I'd get.'_ He laid some bills on the counter, a tip included for continued beneficial interactions in the future; He was still unsure what the three had to do with the monster rampage, but Guz's employer certainly made it seem like the men could have deserved it. Maybe. "Thank you, Tifa. I'll stay in contact."

He stood from the stool and walked away, hoping his spontaneous show sent a clear message; he knew they were at the scene. The WRO wouldn't care at this point, but Evan sure did.

* * *

"Was it that damn detective again?" Cloud was clearly agitated, pacing his office. Evan had been very obviously shadowing him any time he stepped out of the bar, always downwind so he could catch his scent. Yuffie had been a great help, the WRO now off the case, but Townshend should have backed off after being paid for his time. Now, he was stinking up the bar.

Tifa nodded, her hands shaking slightly, Cloud catching anxiety emanating from her; Cloud frowned, thinking it may have been himself that triggered her reaction. Before he could speak, Tifa slowly brought her hand up to him, and opened her palm. Cloud's WRO access card was in her hand. "Evan left this, under the money for his lunch..." Tifa said.

Gently plucking his WRO card from her hand, Cloud put it up to his face, frowning deeper. He put it down, looking at Tifa, and crossed his arms as if in thought. "This card must've been in one of my pockets...What did he say?" His voice was slightly anxious.

Tifa told him about their discussion, the things Evan pointed out and how she gave the detective a lead that had nothing to do with them but the man whom Evan had given the name to. "After all, he gave us the lead...It wouldn't hurt to give us more space to breathe, would it?" Cloud agreed with her, the detective given another venue to bother, and more time for a proper excuse, if he could.

"Anyway...I got a hold of Vincent. Told him it was important."

Tifa put her hand to her cheek, swaying her hips a little. "You're going to tell him about your..."

Cloud nodded, scratching the back of his head. "I think he can help me...I don't know how I turn back, I just go to sleep and wake up in the morning. If I decide I need to make a move against that mob boss, if his underlings weren't just taking an opportunity to snatch Yuffie..." He looked into Tifa's eyes, his brows together. "I need to be able to sneak out not looking like a wolf."

"You'd still be naked afterwards..." Tifa gave him a lopsided smile, remembering the morning Cloud woke her up, dirty and naked.

He scratched his chin, thinking. "That's a problem, yeah..."

"You ever think of getting a cloak, maybe?" Tifa seemed to be on to something.

Cloud nodded. "Maybe. Something that hides my body, my..." He pinched a lock of soft hair, letting out a short chuckle.

Tifa nodded. "So, when are you meeting Vincent?"

The delivery boy looked at the clock on his desk. "About an hour, out in the wastes, near that cave I found. Guess I should get going..." He breathed in deeply and let out a noisy sigh, anxious. _'Why the hell am I anxious? Vincent can change into a damned demon and nobody blinks...'_ Pausing, Cloud looked into Tifa's ruby eyes, a question on his mind. "Hey Teef...How come you were afraid of me, but not Vincent? Galian Beast looks a lot like a werewolf, doesn't it?"

"I _was_ afraid! Don't you remember? The first time he did that I hid behind you, then I stayed on the opposite side of the camp from him for like a week...I finally came around to him after he came to my assistance after a monster ambushed me." She rolled her eyes, remembering her irrational reactions to the mysterious man; he wasn't even a real werewolf!

Cloud smiled, then let out a little laugh as he remembered how she hung tightly to his shoulders as she peeked behind him. "Yeah. I remember. You were freaking out."

Tifa shook her head, slightly embarrassed at the memories. She came up to Cloud and hugged him, sneaking a kiss on his cool cheek. "You're going to be late, reminiscing like this. Try and be back for dinner!"

* * *

Cloud leaned against Fenrir, far out from civilization. The cave was behind him, the area in front of him a moonscape of dust and rocks; here and there grass and flowers sprouted however, the Planet recovering slowly from the vampiric embrace of mako energy. The warrior closed his eyes, waiting, listening, smelling. Everything was calm and quiet, the scent of dust tickling his nose as a soft wind picked the particles up. He hummed a little tune softly, the minutes winding away.

Suddenly he heard it, the familiar sound of a cape flapping softly in the breeze and boots grinding against pebbles and earth, metal chinking together. Cloud opened his eyes, looking towards the noise, a figure appearing behind a large rock cropping. The man wore a black suit and a long flowing red cloak that hid his mouth, and a red bandana held his long, thick raven black hair back. He raised his brow and nodded at Cloud in a silent greeting, approaching his friend.

Cloud nodded back, his face betraying his anxiety. Vincent seemed to frown, unsure why his friend called him to visit this place or why he looked so worried. He never actually said what he was needed for, only that he was needed here, in the Wastes. Was something wrong with Tifa, with the children? Was something wrong with him again? Was there some trace of Sephiroth Cloud had sensed, that Vincent did not? So many possibilities that could bring concern. "Cloud. It's been a while. What did you need?"

Sighing, Cloud lifted himself from his bike, pacing in front of the red cloaked man. "Vincent. I..." He stopped pacing, and looked directly into Vincent's eyes, the man tilting his head gently to the side in a questioning manner. "...I need your help."

Vincent crossed his arms. "...My help? With what?"

Cloud licked his dry lips, looking downward. "I, um...I had an incident about three months ago."

"...An incident? With?"

Cloud looked upward towards Vincent's blood red eyes, his face tingling. He hated coming clean sometimes. "...With a werewolf."

A snort came from the tall man. "Do those even exist? I thought they were made up to scare children. So, you think you're a werewolf?"

Cloud gave his friend a frown. "I don't think I'm a werewolf, I _am_ a werewolf now...I need your help coming out of transformations."

Vincent raised his brows, surprised at his friend's blunt response. It wouldn't be like Cloud to make something up like this. "Now this is interesting. A werewolf? Did you tell Tifa yet?"

"...After a while." Vincent's stare pressed him to say more. Cloud explained the children spying on him, and Tifa coming in on one of their little talks. He showed his friend some of the older texts from Tifa, the one hoping he hadn't killed Yuffie. Vincent nodded.

"Hm. Can you change at will yet?"

"Not quite at will. I haven't done it outside of a Full Moon or after I was very angry."

Vincent frowned. "Have you killed anyone yet? Do you realize what you're doing when you change?"

"Only killed some assholes looking to kidnap and rape Yuffie, and I'm mostly in charge when I'm like that...it's just different. The way I have to think, the way I have to restrain myself around strangers...I can imprint those instincts to see people as part of my circle at least. Yuffie just had to come across me twice, if that's any evidence of my control." He let himself smile at the remark, the ninja sometimes getting on his last nerve on any other day. He wouldn't want it any other way, however.

Vincent actually let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "I see."

"I also can't...make out words very well. My name I understand, and a few simple words, but...a sentence and I'm lost." Cloud kicked the dust absently, feeling strangely serene talking about his lycanthropy to Vincent.

The ex-Turk nodded. "Death Gigas is like that. Can't understand much, just who is friend and who is foe. Leaves much to be desired in intelligence. Your case seems a little more complicated than that, I believe." Vincent crossed his arms, gauntlet over his gloved arm. "I want you to change. Focus on the beast inside of you. Stay like that for a few minutes, and then I want you to clear your mind. Focus on the human inside of you."

Cloud turned his head, a blush on his face. "You want me to strip naked out here?" It wasn't Vincent he was concerned about, it was any possible travelers that might stumble by. He wondered if this had been a good idea.

Vincent put a hand to his forehead, sighing. "We went to that hot spring in Wutai after Geostigma was eradicated, remember? Cid and Barret wouldn't stop their banter..." He looked up, pointing at Fenrir. "Strip behind your bike, if it's a problem. I don't really care what you do."

Cloud's toes curled in his boots as he bit his lip, looking at the bike. Vincent was a man who liked to get down to business and not pussyfoot around; Cloud's actual reason for questioning him went over his head, too. Mentally he shrugged, there was no going back now. "Right. Let me see if I can do this..." He turned around and walked behind his large bike, stripping himself of his clothing, shirt first. Vincent stood fifteen feet away, emotionless as always. Finally naked, Cloud sighed, looking over nervously at his friend, the skin down to his hips visible.

"Remember. Focus on that beast hiding inside of you. And when you're done...Focus on the human inside of you. You'll come back." Vincent nodded, waiting on his friend to show him what he'd become since they last met.

Cloud nodded, arms crossed. He crouched a little, clearing his mind of his anxiety and searching inside of his chest for that monster that likes to come out and play when he's too excited with anger, when a Full Moon blankets the landscape with light...His breaths slowly became pants, and as he focused he felt that familiar heat in his chest, the pulsing of his fangs coming in. He covered either side of his face with his arms, his legs buckling slightly. He let out a shaky breath, the beast about to overtake his body again, and this time on purpose.

He moaned as his muscles tensed up, the pain significantly reduced even as his claws pushed out of his fingers and his head reshaped, the hide and hair almost a tickle now as they grew. The noises made from crunching bones and reforming parts made it sound more uncomfortable than it actually was, though he still moaned even as his voice box warped into the low growls of a monstrous beast; the sensation was strange still. Cloud put his arms down, his panting slowed. He looked towards Vincent, the man as he was before, as if he didn't care what he had just seen. The beast twinged inside him, unsure of this new person.

_**'Vincent, friend. Pack.'**_ Satisfied if disappointed, the instincts were settled in the case of the person standing in front of him. Cloud went on to all fours, plodding past the bike and sitting in front of Vincent. The raven haired man got on one knee, investigating the werewolf silently. He said something, Cloud unsure what he could mean as he cocked his head with his ears forward. _**'What am I to do again?'**_ He shook his head, thinking. It finally came to him, the wolf snorting at his forgetfulness. He closed his eyes and focused, not feeling anything at first. Where was this human inside him? How to get to it?

Then he felt it. Unlike the wild beast, it was something steady, thinking, knowing. The person he always was. The master of the beast...he felt it, and his body felt almost like it was deflating as he changed back, the sensation closer to a tickle penetrating his mind and body as he reshaped into a man, sitting naked in the warm dust of the Wastes. He opened up his blue eyes, blinking, and looked into Vincent's, the man still not showing emotion. Cloud sniffed the air, not picking up anything.

"Not bad. You'll have to be faster than that, if you need to be one shape or another on the fly, however. Rest a few minutes, and do it again."

"I don't know if I can..." His body felt achy.

Vincent took a bottle of a green fluid out of a side pouch, and handed it to the naked, spiky haired man. Stamina potion. "Drink it. By the time we get back to your place, you should know how to flow in and out quickly."

Cloud chugged back the thick fluid, a taste he never appreciated. "You're coming over for dinner?" His face winced from the taste and the sunshine in his eyes.

Vincent nodded.


	12. Evan's New Troubles

Shifting in and out throughout the afternoon was a tiresome ordeal that Vincent pressed the young werewolf into doing, the man having a supply of stamina potions from who knows where. Cloud thought the training almost amounted to torture, wondering if it was a good idea to call on Vincent after the fifth or sixth time he transformed and back.

"Is this _really_ a good idea...? I can't feel my toes." Cloud panted as he sipped yet another stamina potion, his face showing off long fangs and darkened eyes; it was troublesome to maintain the human facade after so many transformations in such a short period of time.

Vincent nodded, the thinnest of smiles forming above his red mantle. "...You're doing fine." His friend looked up at him, surprised by the encouragement; Vincent wasn't one for pep talk. Ever. Cloud was still unsure, but bared through it. He sighed heavily as he finished his drink and started the process all over again.

Then, after Vincent's crash course, Cloud found it much easier to change and back; the process started to take much less time and a manageable amount of pain that slowly dwindled to small aches and cramps. His body felt fluid, as if it could be one form or another at any moment he chose.

"...Is this how you feel, Vincent?" Cloud had already slid on his boxers, and was fidgeting with a pant leg that stubbornly twisted around. He leaned against Fenrir, and jammed his foot through; he straightened it forcefully with an annoyed grimace.

Vincent put a hand to his chin, still covered in red fabric. "Maybe. My transformations don't have a second nature quite like you have now. Remember what I said about Death Gigas? Knows friend from foe, but I wouldn't have to worry about attempting to kill some strange child that happened along my path. Death Gigas isn't a hunter, only a vessel."

Cloud placed his usual shirt on, the collar grazing his chin. "What about Galian Beast?" He zipped two thirds up his chest.

"No. A lot more cunning, however. I feel in that one and Chaos, my faculties are most in place."

Cloud grunted in response, his boots tied and his black sash secured. Cloud's pauldron hung securely from his shoulder, the wolf insignia ironic to him now. "Guess I still have a lot of taming to do. Ready?" He slid upon Fenrir's seat, goggles in his hands.

* * *

Arriving back home with Vincent in the early evening before the sun had set he placed his bike in the garage, but decided to walk to the front door instead. He desired a few moments to enjoy the darkening sky over Edge. To the west a small crescent moon peeked above some of the taller buildings, Cloud sighing as he spotted it. He wondered to himself how such a thing so far away would have such a great pull on his body, wondering if it was some terrible magic that caused it, or if it was something similar to the tides on a beach.

Vincent was similarly quiet, the raven haired man standing upon the steps in front of the bar as they approached the entrance. Cloud considered him a moment, thinking about his help the last few hours. "Vincent. If you want to stay a few days, the guest bed isn't too terribly ruined by Yuffie's stay." He gave his friend a small smile, the two both exhausted by and endeared to the excitable ninja.

Vincent chuckled. "Maybe a day or two, if that's fine. Perhaps I'll help with your investigation..." Cloud had told his friend what he knew so far of the situation involving the people he killed. Vincent acted distant most of the time, but after his time fighting Deepground he seemed a little more open, and he wouldn't pass an opportunity to help find out if Yuffie was seriously in danger.

Cloud nodded. "I could use the help." He opened the door to the bar, the two entering the warm, well lit business, greeting Tifa as she fixed drinks and food for customers.

* * *

_'What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into now, Evan...'_ The detective had gotten to the industrial area mentioned by Tifa Lockhart during yesterday's lunch. The mob boss he was looking for was here according to some small bribes placed here and there; he operated a scrap refinery and went by the name of Valdt. Valdt was a private man, or so it seemed. He was apparently rarely seen outside. He seemed to not invest much in security, either, since there had been some lazy guards outside, but not much else.

Stalking outside of the main building that supposedly held this minor mob boss during the day, he looked to a window to see if it was unlocked. Pulling it, it did not give. Sighing, Evan slowly went to the next one, feeling some sort of give to the metal. He pulled harder after looking this way and that, and the window gave with some resistance. Again he looked around, feeling eyes on him now. _'This place is giving me the creeps,'_ the detective thought, making sure the coast was clear inside Valdt's office.

Slowly, Evan moved through the open window, his hands reaching on the cool tiles of the floor as he pulled his legs through. Crouching, he looked about in the semi-lit room, the dim yellow light of the industrial area illuminating parts of the office. Rising, he sneaked over to a desk standing in the back of the room, his hands shaking slightly at the level of bravado he had decided to show so late in the night. Quietly opening a drawer shining yellowish grey from the soft light, Evan searched about for any files or notes that could be of value to his case. He placed them in his knapsack quickly; it was difficult to read most of them in the low light. 

Hearing a rustling sound outside, he stared at the still locked door, frozen. If he stayed in here he might find himself with a new pair of concrete shoes, or perhaps that was a healthy paranoia telling him his luck had almost run out. Quickly, quietly, he made his way to the open window; he glanced about before quickly pushing himself out legs first, then booking it as fast as he could without alerting any unseen guards. He thought he heard the sound of footsteps behind him as he sprinted away from the office, his legs pushing him faster towards the tear in the chain-link fence that he entered through. 

As silently as he could Evan passed through the fence, his breath harsh and panicked. Turning to look back, he thought he'd seen some shadowy figure near the building he left; deciding that he had used enough luck in his daring caper, Evan left towards home, always watching his back. His footsteps sounded loud in the silence of the industrial area, the soft echos making the detective ever more paranoid. Was someone watching him? He turned around to nothing. 

Reaching the residential area where his home awaited him, he stood at the precipice of his street, thinking a moment. The trip had taken twenty minutes by foot to get back, the extra spring in his step from his fear sending him home quicker. The quickest route was through Fira street, and Evan stopped a moment to observe the dents still present on the walls from the massacre; a human shaped dent marred the metal of one wall, and a powerful stomp cracked some of the cheap concrete on the road where the remains of a hand and a taser had been found. He still wasn't sure what could have created so much carnage, or why the hell Cloud's clothing was everywhere. People can't turn into monsters, can they? Perhaps it was a summon gone wrong? Cloud was known to have the extraordinarily rare materia needed for the feat; he had overheard the whispers between he and Tifa as Cloud asked asked about their materia stash. What else could it possibly be? 

Shaking his head, he continued along the road towards his home, his footsteps less noisy than before. Evan felt more relaxed, confident it was his paranoia working him up as he traveled home. The knapsack rested on his side, the contents tantalizing to the young detective; he had held a hand to it as he made his way home just to make sure he didn't lose it. Almost to his front door, Evan froze; the sound of a footstep coming from the alley he had exited a few moments ago was clear to him. 

Pressing his back against the wall, he stared towards the direction of the footstep, inching closer step by step. One hand was to the wall, the other slowly moved towards his hip, tugging a silver pistol out of a leather holster he had hidden under his jacket. Despite his trepidation at killing someone during his excursion, he refused to allow his family to be harmed by some stupid mob if he could help it. Risks were taken, and when it came down to it he'd happily kill a mobster trailing him. 

At the front of the alley he tensed, gun held steady in front of him. Closing his eyes a moment and slowly inhaling, he quickly pointed the gun into the darkness in front of him, greeted to the other side's light; there was no silhouettes of sinister men to terrorize him. Evan stood there a moment, waiting for anyone to peek on the other side of the alley back at him; his wait was greeted with silence. Looking back and forth, the detective booked it to his home and jammed his house key into the lock, tearing the door open and swiftly flinging himself through it. He ripped the keys out and locked the door, sliding down the wooden panel as he sighed heavily. 

Tension lifted, Evan made his way towards his work desk with his prize, the knapsack now in his hands. The detective looked at the clock on the wall; it was five after four in the morning. He placed the leather package upon the cool wood of his desk and whipped himself around it and onto the familiar seat he worked upon for hours at any given time. Placing the contents in front of him, Evan began to read through the papers, looking for any possible information on the mob boss that could connect him directly to Cloud, or to any plans he had for the underlings that were killed. 

* * *

"Hello, Evan...Have you taken a fancy to my cooking?" Tifa's face was unreadable, though her voice held some anxiety; obviously he wasn't her favorite person this week. He had sat in his usual seat, the bar still empty before the trickle of lunch goers would come in to feast on her cuisine. He had some privacy with her, for a time. 

It wasn't as if he hadn't been a regular in the past, but business had kept him occupied to the point he had rarely visited for quite a while until very recently. With this case he had come several times a week to the bar for lunch, and though he didn't want his presence to do so he knew it agitated them both. They had something to hide was Evan's hunch, and despite his scant evidence he couldn't shake it off as much as he wanted to. 

He let out a laugh. "Honestly, I have. But you know that's not why I'm here..." He pushed the brim of his hat up, his bright blue, bloodshot eyes looking into Tifa's red orbs. "I'll take the lunch special, please. Coffee to drink." As the barmaid went about her business, Evan took out several important papers he had spent the morning looking through. He sometimes wondered why he spoke to her about all of this; his answer always went back to her assistance with his trip to Nibelheim, and his feeling that this mob leader might be the real problem. He can ignore Cloud for now; there were no connections besides Kisaragi. 

"Still investigating?" Tifa inquired, her back to him. She had placed a pan on the stove, and was fixing Evan's coffee. Her voice was hiding a degree of annoyance. 

He nodded tiredly, not remembering that she couldn't see him. "Valdt. That's the name of the mob boss...He might be a small fry compared to some of the Junon crime lords, but he's vicious." Tifa turned, placing his coffee on the counter next to him and looking at Evan expectantly. "You know Kisaragi personally, don't you?" He took a swig of the hot coffee, waking him up a little. 

Tifa bit her lip and nodded. She turned around silently, preparing his meal. 

"...And she was here for about a month...I see." Evan tapped a finger against the counter, thinking. He had seen her in the area, but hadn't thought much about it until this morning. 

Tifa looked back at him with a frown. "What does she have to do with this?" 

"Seemed he was interested in her, had some plan to acquire money from the leader of Wutai, who he believed would pay for her release...Easier to get gil from a weak kingdom than the WRO...She was in that alleyway, wasn't she? They were trying to kidnap Kisaragi..." Some puzzle piece seemed to click in place for him. 

Tifa went back to watching the food, obviously perturbed by Evan's words. "...So we were right..." she mumbled, barely audible. 

The detective pretended he hadn't heard it. "I'm not just here to harass you, you know. There was something else I found out." 

The woman placed Evan's food in front of him, still wearing a frown; she obviously didn't appreciate his meddling, but tolerated it for the sake of any fresh information. "What is it?" 

Evan took another sip of his coffee, then passed the bartender a piece of paper that he'd taken from the office. She slowly took it, reading it as he ate his lunch. Tifa raised a brow, then her eyes went wide. She looked back at Evan, who let out a small snort. "A real gem, isn't he?" 

"He deals in child trafficking?" Her voice had thinly disguised disgust. 

The detective nodded. "Good money maker, besides the usual drugs and scrap refinement. He seems to be small time into it though, see?" He pointed at the paper. "Only a few children a month at the very most." 

Tifa had an inscrutable look on her face, her eyes narrowed. She looked back at Evan, lifting the paper. "Do you mind if I...?" 

"Go ahead." He finished his plate of food, then sipped his coffee. Evan looked up at Tifa, curious if she had any information herself. 

Folding the paper and placing it in her pocket, she put her hands on the counter, looking at the detective. "If you're worried about Cloud, why do you discuss your investigation with me?" 

He ignored earlier sentiments. "This is a bit more pressing right now." He pointed towards his remaining papers. 

Tifa nodded slowly. She sighed, shaking her head. "We don't have any extra information just yet. I guess we owe you, for now." 

Evan waved his hand while lifting himself from his seat, dismissing the thought. "Don't worry about it." He placed his money on the table, and lowered the brim of his hat again. "I'll update you when I find out more." Evan collected his papers, then gave a farewell nod to Tifa, who waved back as he left. 

Walking back to his house, Evan couldn't shake that he may have uncovered more than he should know; about both the mob boss and the family that lived in Seventh Heaven. What could be hidden? He felt unsure whether this investigation could lead to trouble or not, and whether he should have just taken the payment from the WRO and just left it at that. 

_'Too late for regrets.'_

Looking down towards the ground, he hadn't noticed a strange, tall man stalking about his front door until he looked up from the sound of a loud sniff. Evan narrowed his eyes at the man, crossing his arms. The person staking out his home was big and burly, with short dirty blonde hair and a thick beard. His clothing was loose on his large frame, made of black dyed leathers from shoulder to boots, a black shirt under his jacket. The man towards the detective, sickly yellow-green eyes staring back. The man took a few steps forward. 

"Oh...You're a sneaky one, aren't ya pup?" The man advanced on Evan in a few long steps, a menacing aura pouring off of him. "Think you can act like nothin' happened, eh?" The detective tried to move back, but the burly man grabbed him by the shirt angrily, shaking him as he lifted him off the ground. 

"...The hell are you?" Evan grunted out, kicking his feet. He was roughly as tall as this stranger, but no where near as strong. 

The man grunted a laugh. "Won't matter soon enough to ya. I'm gonna-" 

A click that sounded from a gun made it to the ears of both men, and they slowly turned to the source. A tall, lean man stood stoically nearby, his red cape covering half of his face and giving full attention to his unusually vivid red eyes. "You should let him go now." The gun was trained on the big, burly man. 

The man grunted and thrust Evan to the ground, spitting on his jacket. "This isn't over, little pup." He stomped away, watching the gunman as he retreated; there wasn't an ounce of emotion to be found on that pale face. 

Evan groaned, getting up off of the filthy ground. He kept his distance from the red caped man at first, then took a few steps forward as the tall man holstered his gun. "Thank you for that." He raised his hand towards the stoic gunman. "Evan Townshend." 

The man slowly stretched out his good hand to the detective, giving a firm squeeze. "Vincent Valentine." He looked over towards the way the strange man escaped, and motioned with his head. "He'll be back, you know." He put his hand back to his side. 

Evan nodded, swallowing. "I don't know who the hell that guy is, or how he found me." 

Vincent let out a chuckle. "Seems he knows you, though. You should probably lay low if you can, until he forgets about you." 

Evan shook his head. "Got a family. Hard to disappear for a bit with one in tow..." 

"I see. Well then, just watch your back from now on, I suppose." Vincent paused, looking back towards Seventh Heaven. "If you'll excuse me, I must be going." He gave a slight bow, then walked towards the bar. 

"Thanks again, Mr. Valentine." Evan hurriedly made his way into his house, then locked the door. He stared into his office, the room illuminated by a small light and a few rays from the sun. He sighed, making his way up the stairs; Kyrie and Vits wouldn't be home for a few hours still, and he needed sleep badly. Stomping through the living quarters he found himself staring at his clean bedroom and quilt covered bed. 

The bed never looked so good! Evan left his clothing on save his hat and jacket, hanging them up the former and dropping the latter to the ground quickly before eying the bed again. He crashed upon it, thinking of nothing as he drifted off into blissful oblivion as soon as his head reached the pillow with a small smile on his face. 


	13. Enter the Tiger

Cloud tapped the fingers of his right hand upon his desk, agitated. He held a paper in his other hand, one he had reread several times already just to make sure he hadn't made a mistake; the paper detailed Valdt's illicit trafficking in drugs and children. What made the least amount of sense was that while he was finding buyers for children between here and Junon and seldom Kalm, the paper would make it seem as if there were a surplus of children; one month there might be four inventoried, but two or three would be sent out. He let out a disgusted snort as he reread it.

Where are these children going to, what are they for? Is there a slave trade for young bodies, for labor or worse? Cloud could see it in Junon at least. The children of Edge that had survived the nightmare of both Geostigma and Deepground seemingly had yet another threat to their lives, or to their freedom at least. He didn't care so much about the drug trade, so long as it had nothing to do with him or his family, but this was just another level of vileness and amorality that he wouldn't tolerate. _'And what of the left over children? What could he do with them? Do I even want to know?'_ He doubted he did.

Tifa sat on the bed with a worried face, and Vincent leaned against the wall of the office with his arms crossed. Cloud put the paper down, his cerulean eyes staring into her deep red orbs as he did so. "So Evan had a lot of papers he stole last night, huh..." He looked over towards his desk, and grabbed a set of keys. "He has information, and we have access." Cloud had tailed the detective after hearing the sound of a door shutting down the road in the early morning as he laid in bed thinking; he had wondered if Evan was planning to snoop on the bar in the middle of the night now as he peeked out of the window.

To Cloud's sleepy surprise, the detective had slowly made his way towards the alleys, and after quickly dressing he quietly, swiftly made his way to follow the foolhardy detective while his scented trail was still fresh. Evan had found a way into the compound, Cloud only having to kill a guard at the front of the office that heard the shuffling of the oblivious man by snapping his neck. After Evan had hurriedly left, he had entered for a few moments, looking for either any information or items of interest; the detective's eyesight failed him in locating the keys on the other side of the desk that Cloud found so easily. He then followed Evan, making sure he had gotten home safely despite his as of late annoyance with the meddler. The detective had been trouble, but he really didn't want something bad to happen to him.

"...So what do we do?" Tifa fidgeted with her fingers as she thought. This was a danger she hadn't known was so close by. How many orphans had disappeared because of this man and his little gang? It was only a matter of time before Marlene and Denzel would be targeted, she knew it. A sigh rattled out of her mouth, and she pinched the fabric of her black shorts. "...I want Barret here, we need him to help watch the children. Pick them up from school..." Tifa looked down and she noticed her hands trembling from worry.

Cloud sighed, nervous of what kind of encounter he'd have with his old friend as the moon slowly waxed over the city, if any; he had had a short talk with him that day during a delivery run where he asked if everything was okay, Cloud assuring him everyone was fine. Of course, he still yammered about the bloodbath near the bar; Barret scolded the spiky haired courier for being out on delivery during the night as a random beast ate people. Still, the more the merrier in regards to stopping this mess before anyone else was killed. Well, anyone not asking for it. He'd be the first to admit that he would kill every last one of Valdt's gang without mercy, but he wondered how much of it was him and how much of it was his lycanthropy.

He wondered if he even cared.

"Whatever keeps the kids safe," he said lowly. Tifa nodded, promising to call Barret tomorrow.

Vincent let out a cough, the couple looking up towards him. "There's also the case of that mysterious man who roughed up Evan," he said quietly. They nodded at him, remembering Vincent's account of the strange, musclebound man. Cloud had decided he would sniff out the stranger's scent later, after the bar had closed for the night. "He could be one of the mob's bigger fish."

"Right." Cloud looked towards a window, the sun already set for some time now. He was tired from the deliveries he did today; he had done several between Junon and Fort Condor, and then another from Under Junon to Kalm that he was alerted to as he visited the upper city. It was good money, but the back and forth earlier today was rather boring compared to his more random routes that took him to various locales like Costa Del Sol or Mideel. Lifting himself from his seat he placed the paper on the desk, then looked back at Tifa and Vincent. "I'll be right back. Gonna investigate." He left his office, heading towards his destination outside.

Looking about in the low light of the familiar street, he slowly made his way towards Evan's building, casually walking towards it as he passed by a stranger here and there, the road mostly clear at this hour. He sniffed the air as a small breeze blew over his face, an odd spiciness to it that seemed familiar. Where had he smelled it before? He blew air out of his nose to reset the organ, needing to focus on the task at hand instead of that curious smell. Almost there, he picked up another scent, one mingling with another.

Quietly, Cloud knelt down as if to tie his boot. The mingling scents were stronger here, down towards the ground; he did a slow inhale, one of the smells bringing a familiar heat to his chest that made him want to change. Stifling it quickly, Cloud blinked, unsure why his body reacted the way it did. He lifted himself back up, one hand to his hip and the other to his mouth, the warrior thinking. Evan's scent was there, and so were Kyrie's and Vits', but another scent was there, too. Was it part of Evan's, or the other man's? He couldn't differentiate yet. There were smells that obviously belonged to Evan or the strange man, but some were muddled. He sighed, turning on his heel to go back home, uncertain of the aged trail. Taking a few steps towards the bar, he heard paws and a dangerous, agitated growl behind him. He stopped in his tracks and swallowed.

Quickly turning back towards the noise, he was greeted to a familiar flame red beast, its fire tipped tail moving this way and that in an irritated fashion. The owner was furiously sniffing the doorstep to Evan's home, his mouth in a sneer as he inhaled and ears laid flat. Cloud's face paled as the beast's singular amber eye turned to him, the owner removing itself from the doorstep and sitting in front of Cloud. The blond man looked around, hoping no one watched; this would look very suspicious to most residents despite his occasional visits. Cloud rubbed his neck nervously, his eyes glowing in the night gloom. "N-Nanaki! What're you doing in Edge?" That could have came out friendlier...

Nanaki seemed to ignore Cloud's surprise. "Traveling again, friend...Looks like you might have trouble near your home." Nanaki leaned his head towards the doorway again, grumbling at the scent.

"Oh?" Cloud crossed his arms, attempting to look stoic.

"I know this smell...Vicious, evil man-beasts that relish the taste of human flesh on Full Moons, as they change into monsters. I've smelled them before, as I wandered the Planet." He looked back at Cloud, taking the man's nervousness and bit lip as a sign of his worry for his family. "It smells like one might live here..." Nanaki sniffed again, his good eye widening. "Two, actually."

Cloud thought a moment, finally realizing that the smell that brought that heat into his chest must have been the scent of another werewolf, his eyes widening in surprise. Another werewolf in Edge...How did he not get wind of it already? "...Werewolves?"

Nanaki nodded, swishing his tail back and forth. "They reproduce through scratches and bites. Have there been any strange disappearances lately? I had gotten wind of the attack in Edge as I went from place to place, overhearing other travelers." Cloud shook his head, Nanaki nodding in understanding. "They must be recent arrivals. You'll have to kill them before the next Full Moon, or they might terrorize the neighborhood."

Cloud had a sick feeling in the bottom of his gut. Nanaki seemed eager to hunt werewolves to the point he didn't realize that one of the scents was coming from his friend, right in front of him. He tensed his jaw, looking at his four legged friend as the beast rose from his sitting position, looking at Cloud expectantly. "Ah...Look, can we talk more at the bar? Feel kinda vulnerable out here..." They may be talking softly, but he wanted walls between him and any prying eyes and ears, especially in front of Evan's home.

The beast chuckled, giving an approving look. "That may be best." He pranced ahead of Cloud, the man quickly getting into a jog to catch up. Almost to the bar, Nanaki's pace went to a trot, and then stopped. He looked back at his two legged friend, a grim look on his face as his nose wiggled. Almost to the fiery beast, Cloud slowed down, stopping several feet from him as a breeze blew by.

"There's the smell of one...It goes to Tifa's bar?" His tail twitched. "That could be a problem. It might want the children..." He sniffed more, as if trying to find where it came from.

"Nanaki, I..." The small wind puffed by Cloud, hitting his friend with a face full of his scent. Nanaki took a deep inhale, his eye suddenly focusing on Cloud and dilating as he backed away, his back hairs bristling. Cloud put a hand out, hoping to calm him; the beast let out a small snarl.

"You..." His voice was accusatory and angry, his tail flickering back and forth as if he might leap on Cloud immediately. "To think..."

"Can we just talk, inside the bar? Everyone's safe." Cloud bit his upper lip nervously, not wanting a public tussle with his four legged friend. His eyes pleaded with the now enraged beast, the amber eye distrustful of his friend.

Nanaki let out a humorless laugh as he spoke in a low voice. "I've seen what those man-beasts have done with their vile cunning, Cloud. Should I believe this isn't a trap by you?" The eye narrowed accusingly.

Cloud gave Nanaki a hurt frown. "That's not who I am."

Nanaki snorted skeptically. "But who are you now?" Obviously Cloud's friend had seen enough werewolves as he traveled.

"The same person you knew before...Tifa and the kids are fine." Cloud felt insulted by the insinuation that he'd harm someone he cared about, no matter his own circumstances.

Nanaki gave an exasperated sigh, still eyeing the warrior. "I want to believe you, Cloud. But I've seen enough of what those _things_ do-"

The door to the bar opened up, the light attracting the attention of both Cloud and Nanaki. Tifa popped her head out, an inquiring look on her face that lit up when she saw her four legged friend. "Nanaki! What brings you here?" She smiled warmly at him.

The beast looked at her, jaw slightly opened, then back at Cloud, the man's arms crossed with an unreadable expression on his face. Nanaki's eye narrowed at him, then he turned and slowly made his way towards the bar entrance. Cloud followed behind him slowly, keeping his distance from the angry beast.

Nanaki took a glancing sniff of Tifa, her scent the same as always; Cloud hadn't infected her. Not yet, anyway. He wasn't sure how long Cloud had been a werewolf, or what his possible motives were. Tifa closed and locked the door as soon as Cloud had entered their home, and Nanaki kept himself between the couple protectively, his tail flicking this way and that. He looked up at the woman again. "Tifa...It's been too long."

She smiled again, nodding in agreement. She looked back at Cloud, who seemed to be in a defensive position with his arms crossed and a hurt look on his face. She frowned, then looked back at Nanaki. "...Were you two arguing out there?"

The beast stared up at her, then back towards Cloud, blinking. Cloud shifted his position closer, and Nanaki raised his tail threateningly as he narrowed his eye. Shaking his head, Cloud spoke. "She already knows what I am. I told you Tifa was fine."

Nanaki looked back at Tifa, his eye inquiring. "You are alright with this?"

Tifa let out a little sigh, a soft smile on her face. "Cloud is still Cloud."

* * *

"I see..." Nanaki sat in the office with the others, his tail flicking softly. He had heard of werewolves that could usurp the primal savagery of their natures, but they'd been extraordinarily rare. It seemed his good friend was one of the fortunate ones, winning the battle with the beast so far. Nanaki could relate slightly, having had to battle with his own troubles; live as a beast or live among intelligent beings that would return to the planet much sooner than he would. "I suppose you were fortunate to have such inquisitive children living with you."

Cloud gave his friend a nod and a small grin, grateful that he'd at least listen after calming down some, Nanaki intrigued by the tale told. "Woulda been nice if you told us about those things beforehand, you know."

Nanaki huffed. "As if you would have believed me. I only said something tonight because those scents were too close to the bar...I wouldn't allow werewolves to go about unnoticed at that point."

Vincent nodded. "I barely believed it myself, until Cloud showed me."

"All these things, right under our noses..." Tifa mumbled.

Cloud's mind went back to the original target: Valdt. He leaned, hands upon his knees, and a serious expression settled on his face as he looked at the red beast. "Nanaki...You said you smelled two werewolves. Obviously one was me, but...That was the first time I'd ever...smelled...another werewolf before."

Nanaki nodded, then cocked his head, thinking. "Yes. It was muddled with other scents, however." Cloud nodded, understanding all too well. "I can't tell if it went into that house, or if the scent is separate. It is too old."

Vincent spoke up. "There was a man bothering the detective that lives there. Perhaps the scent belongs to him? He kept calling Evan 'pup'..." He crossed his arms, becoming lost in thought.

Cloud was silent for a few moments. There was another werewolf on the loose, which could complicate things a lot if he worked for the mob. But why wasn't he around during the last Full Moon? Was he new? He yawned deeply, the day wearing on him. "Maybe we should get some sleep and pick things up later. It's been a long day."

Nanaki agreed, having spent most of the day traveling. "Do you mind if I sleep in the children's room? I'd like to keep them safe." Tifa nodded, taking him to their room. Cloud lifted himself off of his chair and looked at Vincent, wishing his friend a good night. The ex-Turk had agreed to stay until this werewolf business was taken care of, claiming he had nothing better to do. Cloud had let out a chuckle, then left for his bedroom.

The bedroom glowed with the light of the table lamps, the room comfortably kitschy here and there, the flower pattern quilt beckoning him to cover himself in its folds. Cloud began changing his clothing, searching the middle drawer for his pajama bottoms. The nights were getting a little warm, and he decided to go bare chested. He looked in the long mirror attached to the closed bedroom door, his image much the same as it always had been. Scars marred his torso here and there, two particularly deep ones under his heart.

Cloud touched them, the scars overlapping in such a way that they almost resembled a shooting star. They would tingle sometimes, and other times, rarely, he would have a phantom pain shoot through them and into the matching scars on his back. He grunted at the sensitivity of the tissue, the scars gifts from Sephiroth; one from his final day as an infantryman in Shinra's employ and the other from two years ago as he fought the bastard again. Tifa, too sported a scar along her chest, a reminder of that long ago day where they both lost everything.

Tifa came into the room and broke him out of his thoughts, apologizing for interrupting his examination. Cloud shook his head, as if she needed to apologize for coming into their room! The woman slowly came up to Cloud after shutting the door, examining his chest with him, her fingers on the shooting star scar. In turn, he unzipped Tifa's vest for her, slowly revealing a white scar that started above her left breast and continued unseen to below her right breast. She had been self conscious of it in the past, Cloud remembering the first time she had exposed herself to him she had blushed and trembled as it came into view. He softly touched it, remembering.

They had been beneath the Highwind, the night before they would go into the depths of the planet on what would have amounted to be a suicide mission to stop Sephiroth and avenge their hometown and everyone else that he had taken away from them. Cloud had tried to tell Tifa his feelings, but she had said to him that he didn't need words to tell her how he felt. So, he had kissed her instead. The approach had been awkward. He had slowly walked up to Tifa and wrapped his arms around her, then he had looked into her ruby eyes as she gazed into his mako tainted ones for a few moments, and then he had kissed her, slowly and uncertain.

He had gotten the hang of it quickly enough, losing himself in the taste of her mouth and the feel of her pressed against him. It had been an absolutely magical moment for him; he had finally gotten the affection of the girl he had a crush on since he was a young boy. The girl he had gone through hell for, Tifa, was his. They had continued at it, touching and kissing and embracing until Cloud had decided he wanted the pugilist's shirt gone from her chest. He had placed his bare hands underneath the fabric and Tifa had hesitated, clutching at her chest with red cheeks. Cloud had frowned.

 _"What's wrong, Tifa?"_ He had begun to wonder if he had been going far too fast.

She had looked away. _"I..."_

He had gently grasped Tifa's forearms as her voice drifted off, and stared into her eyes when she came to look at him again with a fearful glance. _"...Why are you trembling?"_ he had whispered gently.

_"Cloud...you remember what happened..."_

His eyes had immediately lit up, understanding now. He had rubbed her wrists reassuringly, then pulled off his turtleneck sweater; Cloud then pointed a finger under his rib cage towards a deep, ugly puncture scar. _"There's one on my back, too."_

Tifa had studied it, putting her fingers over the scar. She hesitated, then slowly revealed her scar as well: The white line that went across her upper chest that she kept covered from everyone. Cloud had softly touched the line, remembering how he had picked her up and moved her before almost being killed by Sephiroth in that dark mako reactor. He had kissed the scar softly before he lifted his gaze, then gave her a kiss on her lips.

It was okay, they were both broken by that day; to Cloud the scar did nothing to change how beautiful Tifa was to him.

Cloud hummed as Tifa dressed for bed. "Do you think we'll have more scars before this is all over?" He looked up at her as he sat on the bed, a curious look on his face after the evocative session with his sweetheart.

Tifa slid a blue tank top over her head, and looked over towards Cloud. "I hope not. Especially not if it leads to..." Her red eyes were downcast as she moved to her side of the bed, sitting down and shutting off her light.

He nodded. "Yeah. Another werewolf..." Cloud leaned his cheek into his palm, thinking. "The kids...How much danger have they been in, and neither of us knew?"

Tifa shifted her legs under the covers, her head on her pillow. She looked towards the ceiling, rubbing a finger with her thumb. "I don't know. Maybe the gang only targeted orphans with no families..." The thought didn't make her feel any better. If they hadn't found Denzel he probably would have been eaten by now, if he lived long enough to survive Geostigma alone.

Cloud turned his lamp off, doing the same as Tifa had. He sighed, something new to compound his usually happy life. It took him forever with Tifa's help to finally allow himself to enjoy life, and he wasn't going to let some stupid werewolf, or his own lycanthropy, get in the way of it, of that he was certain.

Tifa scooted towards him, and he moved his arm so she could rest her head on his shoulder. His eyes looked upon her, and he gave a faint smile in the dark. He wasn't doing this alone. A thought crossed his mind a moment later, remembering Nanaki's original reaction to him, and he gave Tifa a squeeze, her attention turning to him. She looked at him with an inquiring look on her face, knowing intuitively that he had something to say.

"Do you think we can postpone calling Barret?" he said with a half smile.

Tifa whacked his bare chest playfully, refusing to answer his question.


	14. Payback

Evan paced worriedly in his office as Kyrie tapped her foot irritably as she leaned against the cluttered desk of the Mireille Detective Agency, the room low lit and tense. Her boyfriend and coworker had been acting strangely since the monster attack in Edge, though she hadn't really noticed it that much as she had been busy with a small part time job on top of her detective duties for some extra money to buy Vits a nice birthday gift. The boy had been ill with a summer cold and was sleeping peacefully above the two. Kyrie waited for Evan to speak; the man had been pacing for the last five minutes as he collected his thoughts.

"Will you just spill the beans already? It's getting late," she said quietly, clearly annoyed with the lack of information. "You were supposed to be off this case, anyway."

"But it was so close to home. Shouldn't I be worried?" He tilted his head, his blond hair swaying away from his bright blue eyes.

"About Cloud, no. But I guess you bit off more than you could chew, didn't you?" She pointed her thumb towards the stack of papers stolen from Valdt's office. Evan had just confessed his caper to her that morning.

The detective stopped pacing and sighed heavily. "Right. Look, some guy confronted me outside the building—"

"Are you telling me that you were _followed_?" Kyrie's voice was angry and stressed, and she stared at Evan with a look that made him extremely uncomfortable as he put his hands up to hush her.

"...It was strange. He came to me after I finished lunch, but if he had followed me after I escaped the office he would have had a better chance of doing whatever he wanted with me. I don't know how he could have found me, unless he wanted to attack me in broad daylight." Evan scratched his head, the sequence of events not making sense. The man could have attacked him during the night easily.

Was he the one who followed him earlier? No, those footsteps weren't as heavy as the stranger's.

Before Kyrie could reply, both of them heard a low growl from beyond the door, causing the couple to freeze. They both looked towards the door then towards each other, and Evan put a finger to his lips. Sneaking towards the entrance, he slowly made his way towards the entrance as muffled voices began to speak. Intrigued, the detective placed his ear on the door, straining to hear what he could.

"Smells like...lives here." The familiar voice sounded like it was low to the ground. Smells? It continued on, and he caught words here and there...Man-beasts, human flesh...

"Werewolves?" Evan knew that voice.

"They reproduce...Bites...been any strange disappearances lately?" The voice was too muffled for a moment. "You'll have to kill them before...Full Moon...Terrorize..." Are they talking about _him_?

"Talk at the bar? ...Vulnerable out here." Definitely Cloud.

Evan sat there, leaning his ear on the wood of his door for some moments still. Kyrie tapped his shoulder, the detective looking back at her with wide eyes searching for answers to questions opened up by the conversation by his doorstep. She crouched down next to him, holding his shoulder. "They're gone. Looked like it was Cloud Strife and his red dog friend, umm..."

"...Nanaki," Evan responded, remembering his name after meeting him properly some time ago; the beast saved them during their adventure to Nibelheim.

"Right. Watched them from between the blinds." She let out a little breathless sigh. "Did you catch what they were talking about?"

Evan bit his lip while looking away from his girlfriend, mulling over what he had just heard. He looked back as he licked his dry lips. The conversation was about to become surreal. "Ah, they said they think werewolves live here."

Kyrie gave him a skeptical look. "Are you sure you heard right? They don't exist."

Evan shrugged. "I'm sure, and if those two are having a serious discussion about it, I'm more than willing to believe in them." He got up from the ground, a hand on his hip as he thought. "Nanaki asked if there were any disappearances and that they'd have to kill the...werewolves, before the next Full Moon."

Kyrie frowned. "Full Moon? When is that?"

"Not sure. Never had to keep track of it." He gave her a nervous smile, as if the question was some sort of joke. Most people never kept up with the moon phases.

"Great. I guess we can look it up tomorrow...I need to personally thank Mr. Valentine myself for saving your ass, if he's still at the bar..." Kyrie thought for a moment as she moved towards the stairs. "Wasn't he at the bar before, a couple of years ago?"

Evan nodded as he followed her upstairs. "Yeah, he just never introduced himself. Never went to introduce myself to him, either."

"Seems that nut job gave you both a reason to do so."

Evan nodded. Right now he desired his bed to sleep on the new troubles brought about; this was all too much, one thing on top of the other. He ran his hand through his long locks, wondering yet again if he should have just taken the damned money and forgot everything. But no, his curiosity and his desire to make sure his family was safe trumped his better judgement. He plopped his head against the soft pillow, making a note to visit Tifa before the noon lunch rush again.

* * *

_'Ting-ting!'_ Tifa looked back cheerfully towards the door, only to freeze at the sight of Evan strolling into her bar again. It's not that he wasn't a common sight at the bar in the past, but after all this werewolf fuss he was still one of the last people she wanted to see in the bar. Even if he did give out information, his presence just unnerved her until his curiosity would be sated. Hopefully, without revealing Cloud's little secret.

"Hi, Evan. Same as yesterday for you?" She got her pan ready, but the detective waved his hand dismissively. Tifa looked at him with an inquiring look, unsure what he wanted.

He paused a moment, as if he was unsure he wanted to ask. "Tifa. I need to speak to Cloud. Is he here?" His crystal blue eyes beseeched her assistance as he spoke, the woman suspicious.

She leaned her hands against the counter. "He's on delivery right now. I'm not sure when he'll be back. Do you want me to leave a message?"

"...No. I'll come back later to see him. Thank you, Tifa." Evan went to leave, Tifa letting a sigh out of her nose as he softly closed the door behind him.

"Please don't, Evan..." she mumbled to herself. She really didn't need this. Tifa was already worried about the children and planned to close the bar to pick them up from school, the thought of another, much less friendly werewolf sending chills down her spine. Cloud was fine, he proved she could deal with this new life of his that he hadn't asked for. Another werewolf, one that could be lurking about and hunting...She put a hand up to her chest, the thought worrisome and terrifying.

 _'Need to get some silver...'_ Cloud won't like it, but he'll understand, she thought. She remembered the reaction to the metal Cloud had, just a small exposure burned his skin brown for a day.

Tifa went upstairs to her room, the bar quiet. The door was already open, and she went to her dresser, looking through her jewelry box. Since she found out about Cloud, she had begun wearing gold-tone earrings or the ones he bought her for her birthday so she wouldn't hurt him during acts of affection and passion, but she had kept her silver items just in case. Fishing out a delicate chain of silver, she placed it in her back pocket, a comfort until she could get something more suitable.

As she stood there thinking, Tifa heard the door to the bar slam open and quick, strong footsteps running in. She quickly charged down the hallway, the silver wrapped around her hands like a delicate ribbon, the footsteps charging up the steps. As she came to the staircase a head popped into view, yelling her name, and her silvered fist connected with it. The person it had connected with went tumbling down the steps with a loud grunt, their hat falling off.

Tifa breathed heavily for a few moments, her chest rising and lowering shakily. She looked over at the hat, the felt black object with a little monster pin on it all too familiar. As she picked it up, her eyes went wide, and she looked down the stairs at a bleeding, moaning Evan. His hair was splayed over his face and smeared with blood. As she pounded down the steps she called out to the barely conscious man, wondering his reasons for such a reckless action in the home of two seasoned warriors. "Evan! Why did you do that, I could have killed you—"

As she reached down in an attempt to help him up, he grabbed Tifa by the shoulder, a desperate look on his face that made the woman forget about all the meddling and discomfort he'd caused in the last three weeks. "Tifa...I...Vits!"

"Vits? What's wrong with him?" Tifa helped bring the detective up after he stumbled some here and there. She took him to the front of the bar, placing him on a stool and steadying his balance.

Evan put a hand to his head, wincing. "He was home, sick...Someone took him while I was gone, Tifa. I..."

Tifa's eyes widened as she took out a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and wrapped them in a kitchen towel. She put it up to his injured face gently, Evan thanking her as she shook her head. No wonder he did something so rash. _'Does he actually trust us, deep down? To help?'_ Who else could he turn to? "I'm calling Cloud."

Evan let out a muffled "Thank you" as he rested his head on his folded arm, the coolness of the bag of peas keeping the swelling down. As Tifa called her boyfriend, he kicked himself mentally for charging into the bar like a mad chocobo. But Vits was missing, the papers were missing, and there were...claw marks on the walls.

Tifa listened to the familiar jingle of the phone line, hoping Cloud would pick up. Nothing. She called again, and again nothing. She sighed, figuring he was on the road, but he would eventually feel the vibration, hopefully. Once more she called his number, this time hearing a click as he accepted the call.

"...Tifa?"

"Cloud! You finally answered!" she chimed.

She heard a light chuckle on the other side. "Was heading back towards Edge to pick up another delivery. Is everything okay?"

Looking over at the groaning Evan, she shook her head despite no one seeing it. "No, it's not."

A pause. "What's wrong?" His voice had become serious.

"Evan came back to the bar..." She heard a sigh hissing out of Cloud's mouth-"He said someone kidnapped Vits."

"Give me twenty minutes. I'll be home...Close the bar." Click.

Tifa looked back over at Evan, and came to sit next to him at the counter after putting out a closed sign and locking the door. Nanaki and Vincent had been out; they could use the unlocked garage to enter whenever they got back. She held the bag over his cheek, letting him rest his hand finally. "You must take protecting your family seriously, huh..."

Evan gave a weak nod of his resting head, moving it slightly to look at Tifa with a single eye. "It seems you do, too."

* * *

Fenrir roared through the streets of Edge, Cloud pushing as quickly as he could without crushing pedestrians on his way back to the bar. Finally making it to his street, he pulled into the garage after the door slowly opened, and jogged his way to the bar door. Swiftly opening it, he saw Tifa patting an injured Evan; the woman looked up to Cloud and bounded over to him, embracing him. As he returned the affections he felt a familiar burning sting on his shoulder, and Tifa quickly removed her hand from his skin as he let out a hushed grunt. She had forgotten to take off the silver chain.

"Sorry," she whispered in his ear before he tried to jerk away. "Forgot to take it off."

"Why were you wearing it?" he whispered back, frowning. Tifa told him quietly, and he nodded grimly. Still hurt like hell, that damned metal. He looked towards Evan, the man oblivious to the couple's whispered chatter. "What happened to him?"

"I, um...knocked him down the stairs...He barged into the bar and up the stairs in a fit of hysterics, and I didn't know it was him..." She fussed with her fingers, embarrassed.

Cloud snorted, slightly amused. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't wanted to punch him lately out of irritation. His mind went back to the kidnapped child; Cloud made his way to the other side of the counter, shaking Evan gently to get his attention. The detective stirred, his worried eyes staring into Cloud's. The warrior couldn't help but feel sorry for him now, especially with half his face swelling. "What happened, Evan?"

Evan bit his lip, not wanting to come clean. Cloud let out a sniffle, then relaxed somewhat as he stared back at him. Evan looked at Tifa, the concerned look on her face, then back to Cloud; if he wanted their help he was going to have to tell them everything. "Look. I...I heard part of your conversation last night with your friend..."

Cloud's face paled, his eyes wide. "You did, huh...?" He took a step back, wondering if his secret was spilled because of that argument last night.

"Yes. Kyrie and I heard a growl at the door, then we heard talking. Werewolves, right? In Edge?" If Evan knew anything about Cloud, his face and scent wasn't showing it.

The werewolf nodded slowly, swallowing.

Evan continued. "I think one kidnapped Vits. There were claw marks on the walls..."

Tifa spoke up as she dialed a number on her phone. "Was there any notes, or anything?"

"No. No blood either, so I assume Vits is safe for now. Look, we can't wait much longer, what if it eats him, or tries to change him?" Evan looked terrified at either prospect, Cloud understanding the worry all too well.

"Look. we'll ask Nanaki to find the scent trail. Tifa's gonna call our friends that were staying with us. But for now, take me to your place." He held his gloved hand out to Evan, the detective taking it after a moment. They quickly left the bar, heading for the detective agency quickly.

* * *

Entering the house, Cloud noticed the door was partially off its hinges, hanging limply as they came in. Cloud smelled a furry, dusty scent that made him exert effort to push down the heat attempting to rage in his chest, taking a long, calming breath. It would be so easy to just change right here and now and find that little challenger to his territory-

"Hey, Cloud. Are you alright?" Evan held a concerned look on his face as he stood by his office desk, his companion making a strange face.

Cloud blinked at him as he snapped out of his thoughts, then brought a hand to his face, covering his mouth. "Sorry. Allergies," he mumbled.

Evan raised a brow, then went up the stairs, the wood creaking here and there. "A warrior like you has allergies? Well..."

"Mhm." Cloud touched his elongated fangs with his tongue, checking them; a little blood could be tasted. He needed to look through this house quick, or he was going to blow his cover. The urge was getting to him badly. They both entered the kitchen, claw marks marring the walls and nail scratches on the floor. They continued to Vits' room, Cloud attempting to ignore the werewolf signs in what he considered his territory.

Vits' room showed signs of a small fight near the bed and on the dresser with an over turned lamp, but it didn't seem like there had been much of a fight in the first place. Cloud sniffed the air cautiously, a familiar tingle hitting his nose, a smell similar to ozone- the werewolf used materia. The window was open, leading to the streets below; Cloud would follow the trail with Nanaki.

"Evan..I think the kidnapper used materia, can you smell the ozone? Probably a sleep spell. My guess is he leaped out of the window and to where ever he was going to take Vits." He looked back at the detective, his face grim.

Evan looked down, damning himself for not being there to protect the child. Hadn't he been through enough already? This was his fault for meddling. Cloud made his way to the doorway from the other side of the room. "Guess you'll sniff him out, right?" The warrior froze, slowly looking back at the detective. "What? I mean with Nanaki...He can find the trail, right?" Evan raised a brow. He was becoming nervous as those strange blue eyes bored into his.

The delivery boy nodded, relaxing. "Yeah. He'll find them. Now let's get out of here before I have an allergy attack, it seems I'm allergic to...werewolves." Especially Vits' room, the smells were creating a frenzy in his chest. The only thing stopping him was Evan's presence, and he supposed he could thank him for that.

Evan chuckled dryly, following Cloud downstairs. "An allergy to werewolves...How novel."


	15. Who I Choose To Be

Nanaki trotted towards Evan's house, alerted to the troubles on Cloud's street by Tifa. Vincent strolled closely behind, and the red beast soon picked up the smell of the foreign werewolf; both ignored the looks of bystanders surprised by the strange duo. He came up to the ruined door just as Cloud and Evan made their way out of the house, the detective sporting a hopeful look as Nanaki came into view, and Cloud stoically nodding as he caught his breath. He had a strange look on his face as he moved his hand away. Nanaki looked up at them, the scent of the hostile werewolf already potent to him. "The child was taken?"

Evan nodded as he pointed towards the alley. "Looks like he jumped from the bedroom window with Vits."

Nanaki nodded back, then began to make his way towards the alley swiftly, his two legged companions trailing behind him. Sniffing below the window, he caught the scent of the child and followed the two mingled scents. The heavy scent of the werewolf was easy to follow when it was so fresh, his nose leading them closer to the slums' outskirts at the edge of the new city.

Cloud, too, was picking up the scent, but he wished he wasn't. It felt like the smell was everywhere, tempting him to chase down the intruder that bothered the serenity of his neighborhood. He took to flanking his friends, attempting to avoid the scent; it made him want to rip out of his skin and charge into the offender's den. Vincent glanced at him, and the warrior looked back. Understand passed between them, and the unspoken words gave Cloud the conviction to not do something brash: Focus on the human, not the beast, no matter how hard it was.

After some wandering they had come to the edge of the slums, an area still inhabited in certain areas by the poorest of the poor, the druggies, and the criminals. Meandering through the empty streets, the red beast came to a stop as he began searching out the scent in the filthy dirt. Evan bit the joint of his index finger, looking about the familiar area. He touched Cloud's arm, the spiky haired man snapping his attention to him as he placed a hand on his sword; they both seemed to sense the same thing. Vincent, too, had taken out his gun. He mumbled something to Nanaki, the beast nodding and continuing his search.

A gunshot rang out, hitting Cloud's sword as he came to deflect it. The werewolf narrowed his eyes, searching for whomever tried their luck with him. Another gunshot was heard followed by a grunt as Vincent found and shot the assailant. The swordsman looked about, seeing a sneaking assassin lurking to his left. Bloodlust welled up in him, and he flashed sharp teeth at his new target, the gangster faltering at the sight. _'Just a taste...'_ Cloud charged at the man, quickly closing the distance between them and lopping his head off with the First Tsurugi. Blood gushed from the neck and airborne head. Another man peeked out, brandishing a knife, and he lost his head, too. These bandits were no match for a Jenova and mako enhanced werewolf, Cloud thought, and when he found their ringleader, he'd stand no chance, either.

"I think I've found it," Nanaki mumbled as the others watched the area carefully. Vincent shot off hid gun at another would-be sniper, the sound ringing through the slums. Nanaki trotted off, and the other three took the rear. Cloud thought he heard the sound of a vehicle approaching, but moved on with his friends since there was no time to investigate. He thirsted for more blood from these pathetic cretins. Evan took to the back, watching for signs of movement; he knew he wasn't as good as the warriors he was working with but he would try to pull his weight as they assisted with Vits' rescue.

Deeper into the slums they went, Vincent popping off an assailant here or there, and Evan even getting a lucky shot at someone trying to stab him in the leg. He figured this misadventure was helping him get better at using a pistol at the very least. Nanaki continued to sniff, leading them to a locked gate that entered the now unused sewer system. Cloud moved forward and shook the reinforced metal gate hard, but it didn't budge as much as he'd like. "Damn..." The keys! There must have been another pair...

Vincent looked at the obstacle, then back at Evan, thinking. He let out a small chuckle, then raised an arm towards the detective, the man confused at his comrade's attention on him. "...Can you keep a little secret?"

Evan looked at the gunman curiously, wondering what it had to do with the troublesome lock. He then nodded, wondering if this secret would quicken their mission at all. Vincent saved him from that nut-job, wouldn't it be fair? "If I have to."

Vincent nodded approvingly before walking towards the gate. "Good. No screaming, please." Pausing in front of the gate, he closed his blood red eyes and focused on something inside him. Immediately he disappeared in a flash of purple light, replaced by a giant hulking monster that growled low as it appeared with skin grey and pale hair, dull metal bracers clinging to the dead looking flesh. It grabbed the bars of the gate, pulling on them with inhuman strength.

Evan quickly backed away, grabbed by the wrist when Cloud smelled the pure terror coming from his body. He almost screamed, and the blond swordsman hushed him. "Relax. It's just Vincent."

"You knew about this?" Evan squeaked, looking back between the two as the giant monster made gains against the metal bars.

Cloud snorted. "Welcome to the club."

A popping noise reached their ears, then another. Death Gigas wrenched the bars towards him and they finally came loose, giving enough room for the party to enter. A purple light flashed and a reformed Vincent reappeared before giving a nod to his comrades. "Let's hurry."

The group continued down the almost dry sewers, Nanaki leading them down the tunnel. Cloud and Vincent swore they heard footsteps behind them, but couldn't find any pursuers and decided to focus on what was in front of them for the time being. They came across a turn, and it lead downward. Shouts were heard below. This must be the werewolf's lair, they decided.

"I'll keep ya alive just long enough. Soft meat tastes best soaked in fear, kid." Hideous laughter erupted from the unseen man.

Evan's eyes widened, and he stopped the group. "That's the voice of the guy that attacked me."

"Is that so?" Vincent inquired. He remembered the man's ugly face. The voice continued below, speaking to other unseen people. "That it is..."

Evan nodded, then looked towards Nanaki and Cloud. "When I...overheard you two," he whispered, "didn't you say there were two werewolves? Shouldn't we look out for another that could ambush us?"

The duo blinked, and Nanaki decided to speak up. "There is no indication that there are more werewolves in the sewer," he said somewhat nervously.

Evan looked at him, then slowly nodded despite his doubt. As he was about to say something else, he begun to hear crying. The group continued further. Down they went, walking softly and slowly towards their goal. Finally reaching a rusted metal door, Evan tried it, and found it unlocked. Was the werewolf waiting for them? Taking a deep breath he opened it, and the sight of a grimy room filled with children caged in the walls' cells greeted him; the floor was wooden and scarred and stained, the walls a pasty green splattered with ugly black here and there and illuminated with floodlights.

In front of the party at the back of the room, with his arms crossed and wearing a flowing, billowing black cloak covered with loosened belts here and there, was the large man that had accosted Evan the other day. The werewolf raised his hands as if to mockingly greet him, the sounds of moaning and crying children a cacophony sweet to the monster's ears. "Well, now. If it isn't the pup that tried to uncover my operations!"

Evan cocked his head. "...You're Valdt?"

The burly man nodded, and his grin revealed vile, pointed teeth. "Didn't know what ya're gettin' into, huh ya little shit? This is my territory to hunt, not yours. Been here since after Meteorfall." Evan's eyes narrowed, though he was a little uncertain what he was talking about. Valdt snorted at the man's reaction, pointing an accusing finger at him. "I can smell ya, wolfy. Do yer friends know yet?" Evan still had no idea what he was talking about. Did Valdt think _he_ was a werewolf?

Cloud stood behind the detective, eyeing Valdt and breathing heavily. His shaking hand was on the hilt of his sword. The mob leader laughed, disregarding the real threat. "This is between me and the little wolf pup, here. I'll take on the rest of you after I'm done with him...But if you insist, I'll have yeh softened up a bit, first!" The werewolf pulled a rusty lever on the side of a support pillar, releasing captured, snarling monsters into the room from above. The party tensed, hearing screeches in front of them and from behind them; the pitter-patter of feet could be heard quickly coming down the curving pathway. They were about the same in number as the party, sickly green claws and soulless black eyes that shined in the dim light.

The group went into position. Nanaki lunged at the monster that came through the door and pinned it on the ground as it tried to claw the red beast. Nanaki mauled it as it struggled helplessly. Vincent took to shooting at another, the beast's carapace eventually giving way to his and Evan's bullets. Vincent shook his head at the weak challenge while Evan swung his pistol about in case any tried to ambush him. Cloud immediately split one of the monsters in half as it approached, terribly unimpressed by the offering. He took a few steps towards the hooded werewolf, First Tsurugi held in his hand.

"Prepare yerself, pup..." Valdt tensed, and the party heard the sickening sound of snapping bones and reforming flesh as the sickly eyed mob boss quickly shifted into a drooling, sneering, blond-furred beast that quickly shook off its robe and growled some inhuman laughter. The werewolf sprinted towards Evan while he was distracted by one of the few monsters left alive, his maw opening and ready to snap at his head; the detective turned and failed to shoot the beast as his hideous jaws came to close—

—A giant shuriken pieced the beast's mouth, and blood splattered all over the floor as the creature screeched. "That's for try'na kidnap me, you pug-faced poodle!" Yuffie retrieved her weapon and sliced at the monster's nose, happily getting revenge for his devious plot. Valdt backed away in surprise, then tried to swipe at the quick-footed ninja. He failed; she dodged the attack with a whoop and cut through the palm of his paw. "Nyaaaa!"

Cloud was unimpressed with this small time hustler and his pets. "You know, you're a lot more trouble than you think you're worth, Valdt." After the beast recovered from the ninja's attack, he turned and squinted his eyes at the swordsman, then sniffed the air. Those sickly yellow-green eyes widened, and he bared his teeth, growling louder and louder. Cloud merely smiled, flashing sharp teeth back at him while lifting his large sword. He motioned with his head to bring it on, and he and the beast both charged each other.

As the others fought off the dwindling supply of monsters, Cloud played with the furious werewolf, the heat in his chest growing despite not having a need to fight something so beneath him with teeth and claws. Yet, he had not a care this was so, enjoying his time toying with the monster; he would defeat the bastard by sword or claw regardless. "All those children you ate..." Cloud sliced into a furry leg, and the creature howled in pain as his flesh was flayed. "Trying to hurt _my_ friends..." He cut an arm to the bone, and blood splattered on both contestants. Cloud's eyes dilated as the crimson fountain cascaded from his opponent's flesh. "Kidnapping Evan's kid—"

In a desperate bid Valdt took the other werewolf off guard, using his other arm to backhand him into the wall hard enough to shake pebbles of concrete loose. Cloud fell onto his abdomen, silent as little bits of rubble fell on to his back. His sword clattered to the ground nearby, scraping the floor further. His foot twitched and one of his hands curled up.

Veldt ignored the gunshots coming towards him and deflected with his bad arm the giant shuriken of the ninja, the weapon clattering to the ground as he made his way towards the challenger. As he was about to put his claws through the meddling rival wolf, a glittering ribbon of metal met with one of his eyes and he recoiled. Valdt let out a howl of pain that pierced the air as black smoke arose from the burning eye. He scraped at the silver as his flesh hissed, and he backed away in a panic.

"Cloud!" A melodious, terrified voice chimed through the grim dungeon. The other warriors continued their attack on the injured werewolf as Tifa came to rescue Cloud; she eyed Valdt warily as the others fought. Her hands were shaking and her teeth were tightly clenched from the fear she felt from being so close to a hostile werewolf. She told herself the others would keep that monster away as she helped Cloud. It wasn't going to get any closer, she had to believe in them.

Looking up from his now crouched position, Cloud saw Tifa, her face full of growing concern as she rubbed his back. "Teef..." he gently growled as he panted, wondering if he was losing the fight with his bestial side. He wanted to change oh-so badly and prove himself to that monster before ripping out its throat. What was stopping him? Not Evan this time, he could care less if the whole world saw him at this point. He looked Tifa in the eye, asking her without words if he should or not. Shouldn't his mate have some say? But this was his fight, wasn't it?

"Cloud...calm down, please..." His face was almost bestial at this point, his ears pointing and pulling up, his teeth sharp and mouth stretching a little, and dark, deep-set circles ringing his clouded blue eyes, the sclerae already black. He still looked at her, and he was unsure if he could come back from this. He was moments away from changing fully, his fingers were swelling in his gloves and ready to push his claws out through the leather. In a last minute bid to soothe him Tifa ran her fingers through his thickening, soft hair, and he closed his eyes and stilled a moment as the sensation of her touch on his head washed over him and sent a calming chill down his spine. His panting turned into deep, calm breaths, and the heat in his chest slowly dulled. He opened his eyes again and gazed at Tifa, a serene smile growing on his face as his features slowly became more human again.

"I'll be okay, Tifa...Thank you." She helped pick him up, the spiky haired warrior letting out a huff after rising to his feet. They both watched as the werewolf retreated through a door on the other side of the room while the others gave chase. Evan was coming towards the couple, his emptied gun limp in his hand. He stopped in front of them with a look of uncertainty on his face. Cloud looked back at Tifa, then met Evan's gaze. "Do you think you and Tifa could find a way to open these cells?" The children had been quiet throughout the battle as they watched. Their freedom had been on the line. A little voice chimed from one of the cells, and a hand waved at the three.

"Evan!" It was Vits. The detective ran towards the child's prison, holding his hand and checking him over the best he could as he spoke unheard words to him. Tifa pulled out a set of keys with a smile; Cloud copied the gesture as he looked at her.

"I'm gonna finish that freak off." Tifa nodded, and Cloud took off towards the opposite end of the room as she fished out a key, trying them out one by one until she heard a click from the grimy lock. Vits ran out, the twelve year old hugging Evan by the neck with tears running down his cheeks. Tifa went to the other cells, slowly releasing the terrorized children as the locks gave way to her key set. They cried and cheered, finally free from this dungeon of nightmares that they were forced to live in, away from the sunlight and fresh air.

One dirt covered child that looked to be about Denzel's age was shaking terribly in a now unlocked cell by himself, and Tifa picked up the little boy from the corner and rubbed his back gently. His shivering turned into heaves as he began to cry and whisper into Tifa's ear.

"My little sister, I couldn't keep her safe." Tifa hushed the child gently, still rubbing his back.

* * *

Cloud charged through the tunnel, sniffing out his prey as he came to a split in the tunnel. He easily found the scent. He charged past Yuffie; the young woman had gotten a little lost in the dark tunnels and gave Cloud a "Hey!" as he blew past. The werewolf's trail grew stronger, and Cloud knew he'd meet Valdt soon. The vile beast couldn't have gotten far with those injuries, even if werewolves were resistant to many attacks. Nothing would stop First Tsurugi from severing his head from his body.

The sound of gunshots and a familiar roar reached his ears, and he picked up his pace. Coming to a large drainage room, he saw Nanaki, Vincent and Valdt in a dance of death, both parties at an impasse at the moment. Valdt had gained some renewed movement in his severely injured arm, hinting at the healing that can occur on normal injuries. Vincent leaped backwards as the monster lurched towards him before shooting the monster's bad shoulder. Nanaki somersaulted and pushed off the beast, knocking it down. Valdt snarled defiantly at the red-furred creature.

Cloud walked up to Valdt, sword in hand and his blue eyes glowing in the dark. They were staring directly into the other werewolf's eyes. "This ends now. After everything you did, this is a better death than you deserve." His voice was calm and sure, much like Cloud was at that moment.

The werewolf seemed to revert slightly, just enough to grumble a response. _**"Yer talkin' like yer somethin' better n' me? N' what about yerself? What deeds have you done?"**_ The voice was barely desperate, more a challenge towards his rival.

The spiky haired swordsman lifted First Tsurugi. "I didn't get to choose to become...this. But you can be damned sure it's not gonna stop me from being who I always was!" He arced the heavy sword effortlessly downward until it contacted with the raging beast's neck, severing the head and releasing a flood of dark blood into the room.

"So ends a demon in the slums..." Nanaki mumbled, looking down at the corpse and then looking up towards his friend. "We should get back, the surviving children will need us all to find their way back to the surface."

Vincent nodded as he shoved a lower limb of the beast with a pointed boot, his face neutral as always. "I think I'm going to purchase silver bullets, just in case I have to deal with a werewolf again. I prefer my targets to not be ammo sponges..."

Cloud chuckled humorlessly, at a loss for words. The werewolf that kidnapped children to eat them and traffic them was dead. Were the others he delivered to werewolves too? Cloud shuddered at the thought. Were there any like him out there? Maybe he'd find out some day, but for now he understood why werewolves should be feared.

"Hey!" An annoyed, familiar voice rang out in the distance. "I can't see, guys! I'm lost! Hellllooooooo?!"

They all sighed. Yuffie.


	16. A Warm Zephyr

Tifa patted the child's back, cooing to him in a soothing voice. "You're safe now...Cloud's gonna make that monster pay for what he did."

"...Cloud?" the child hiccuped between sobs.

Tifa nodded, still holding the boy. "Yeah. He beats up bad guys."

Evan walked over to Tifa as she held her gentle conversation with the young child, holding Vits' hand firmly; he wanted him to stay safe and close to him. Vits let out a little sniffle, still ill but running off adrenaline and remnant fears. "We freed these kids, but how are we going to transport them all?"

Tifa turned to Evan, her face softer than in past weeks to the detective. "Yuffie and I drove a WRO vehicle here to catch up to you guys. There should be enough room for them in the back."

Evan frowned, though relieved at the news. "You didn't have any trouble from Valdt's gang, did you?" Even now, the remnants of his little mob could be on their way here. He scratched his cheek anxiously.

She shook her head. "Whatever you guys didn't get to, Yuffie certainly did. I didn't know she was such a good shot with a rifle..." Cloud must have showed her how to use it properly, now that she thought about it; he was ex-Shinra infantry after all.

"Guess we'll have to wait until they get back to find our way to the entrance." Tifa nodded, and Evan went to explore the room, Vits covering his face with the side of the detective's jacket to blanket out the sights in the room. He looked towards a filthy trashcan in the back corner of the room, morbidly curious. Swallowing, Evan slowly opened it, peeking inside to a trove of filthy, small bones, greasy and littered with desiccated flesh and broken or crushed here and there. He closed it again, his face pale. The WRO was going to have to go through those.

He sighed heavily. There was still another werewolf on the loose, and after what he had seen this afternoon, only one possible suspect. He kept his opinions to himself however, until he could be absolutely certain there would be further trouble, not wanting to sour the mood after saving so many lives today.

But how many were still possibly at risk as he waited? Evan sighed, thinking back to what that monster said; he'd been here for four years, preying on children, treating them like they were less than nothing. Would this happen again? He hoped not.

He was soon greeted by the sound of incoming footsteps and a chirpy voice, followed by a low, grumpy voice. A moment later and Cloud and his party of friends entered the room, the man's face unreadable as he came into view. He looked towards Evan and then Vits for a moment before looking back up at the detective and giving him a nod. Before Evan could say anything he went off towards Tifa, the woman greeting him as he approached.

It looked like things would be alright for now, at least.

* * *

"You sure about this, Teef?" Cloud inquired to his lover, a concerned look on his face as the large group followed Nanaki to the entrance. The children had delighted in the fire red beast, and despite himself he enjoyed their attention and little pets.

Tifa still held the boy, who had fallen asleep in her arms. Her shoulder was soaked in tears. "Yeah. I...I think he should have a home. Just like Denzel and Marlene." Her eyes were watery, but her voice stayed strong as she whispered close to Cloud. "He lost his sister in front of his eyes to Valdt. Maybe it's not a good idea, but...It feels like the right thing to do, if he's alone."

Cloud hummed, thinking. Another kid, huh? "I'm just worried about..."

She nodded. "We'll be okay."

"Hey! I see the entrance! Ohmigawd I can't wait to smell fresh air again!" Yuffie charged up to the front of the group, vehicle keys jingling in her hands to the beat of her steps. A few children cheered, and the group picked up their pace as the nightmare dungeon disappeared behind them.

Reaching the entrance, Cloud and Vincent assisted the smaller children leaving the broken gate, taking care they didn't scratch themselves on the sharp edges of the metal. Yuffie happily jammed the keys into the ignition, turning it over and whooping at the sound of the engine starting up much like a kid. She idled the truck as the back was filled up with the rescued children, and Vincent left a small ribbon of his red cloak as a marker for the WRO authorities who would come to clean up the site.

Tifa opened up the little sliding window in the back of the truck, telling the happy little ninja that everyone was safely inside. Yuffie nodded and set the vehicle in motion slowly, remembering Cloud's advice in regards to motion sickness as they made their way to the relative safety of Edge. She kept moving in place as if listening to music, keeping her body moving and her breath steady. The vehicle lurched about here and there, until finally reaching a flat road, and she took off towards the bar. Yuffie decided to drop off her friends before taking the children some place safe for sorting.

"Urgh..." Cloud held his stomach, his face turning green. The ride out of the slums had been rough on him, and being crammed into the back of a truck with half a dozen kids, a few adults and Nanaki had his ability to counter his motion sickness reduced terribly. It was warm and uncomfortable and bumpy. He scooted towards a corner, doing deep breathing exercises and swaying back and forth.

"Uh...You okay, Cloud?" Evan called from the other side of the truck.

The blond haired man let out a little groan while shaking his head, his face hidden by his long, spiky bangs. Tifa scooted towards him and rubbed his back silently while still holding the sleeping child.

Vincent looked at Evan. "...He gets motion sickness sometimes," he offered quietly.

* * *

"Ah...ugh..." Cloud swayed on the sidewalk in front of the bar, trying to relieve himself of his nausea without resorting to puking everywhere. The wave of nausea subsided for the moment, and he sighed at his temporary reprieve. Vincent, Nanaki, Tifa, Evan and Vits stood together with him, the detective giving his thanks to the group for their rescue of his adopted child. "Don't worry about it..." Cloud put a fist to his mouth, focusing on his breathing through his nose.

Tifa smiled at Evan. "Guess the investigation is over, now that Valdt's dead. Yuffie said the WRO will do what they can to home the children, if they don't have parents."

Evan nodded, though he wasn't done investigating despite having one suspect that he was certain of; it was just going to go on the back burner for now, he needed to get on his other jobs as it was. He felt he could wait before he digged further. "I guess I need to call a carpenter to get the door fixed, though I'm not sure who would come at this hour..." Indeed, it was getting to be late in the afternoon by his reckoning.

Cloud inhaled a shaky breath, fumbling with his wallet. He pulled out a little card after a moment, handing it to Evan. "Tell them I sent you." He looked at the detective with pathetic eyes, his illness clearing a little. He hoped.

Evan took the card in his hand, then looked to Cloud again, smiling. "Just like Don Corneo?"

The warrior let out a small, weak chuckle. "Yeah."

Tifa coughed. "Well, I guess that's enough excitement for the day...Evan, drop by again, next lunch is on the house!" She smiled at him again, then said her goodbyes before turning towards the door of the bar, opening it and letting herself in. The others followed, each saying their farewells.

Evan sighed, then looked down towards Vits. "Guess Kyrie is gonna freak out when she sees the mess left in the house." They began walking home.

"D'you think we're gonna be in trouble?" Vits asked between sniffles.

Evan laughed. "I am, certainly."

* * *

"Heeeey! Spiky! You look greener than a Marlboro, man!"

_'Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it...'_ Cloud didn't need this. The house was already full, he had about a week before his next foray into the Wastes, and now Barret was here, the one person on this planet he actually felt some sort of fear of. Not because of any bodily harm, unless he really did get a hold of some silver bullets, but because he'd irrationally tear the home apart if he found out about his secret. Sure, he had some unfounded worries with Tifa, but she had always been there for him in the end, no matter what.

Barret would destroy any possible threat to Marlene, Tifa or Denzel. At least, Cloud reasoned, he could relate to that very well. He waved shakily at the big man, slowly losing his battle with his nausea, and Barret let out another laugh. Marlene and Denzel were with the big gunman, and they charged Cloud and Tifa as they came into view.

"Papa picked us up from school! He said you both had to fight bad guys again!" Marlene chimed.

"We did! We'll tell you about it later...I think all of us are a little tired right now, though," Tifa said to the two.

Denzel cocked his head, looking at what Tifa was holding. "Who is that?"

Cloud mumbled as he slowly walked by, heading towards the bathroom. "Maybe a new family member..."

The two children gasped, shocked that Cloud and Tifa would possibly adopt another orphan. Denzel looked back and forth towards the two adults until Cloud disappeared up the stairs, then chased after him, his little feet noisily stomping upstairs. Marlene stuck to Tifa, asking her questions as Nanaki and Vincent sat in a booth, relaxing after an afternoon of darkness. Barret joined them, happy to see his friends after so long because of his job. He slapped Vincent on the back and made him grunt.

"Cloud, where did the new kid come from?" Denzel asked, excited.

The warrior paused, looking back at Denzel. He still felt sick, but there was another ebb in the nausea that would give way to him emptying his stomach out soon. Still, he had enough time for this. He slowly knelt down, putting a hand on Denzel's shoulder.

"I'll tell you what happened later, I promise. But...You have to keep my secret from him, too. For now at least. No talk about werewolves, alright?" His face was serious and almost worried.

Denzel fidgeted. "I promise."

Cloud nodded approvingly. "Thanks. Tell Marlene, too. It's very important." The spiky haired man picked himself up and began to lurch towards the bathroom again, the desire to vomit growing. The hilt of the First Tsurugi ground against the wall pathetically before Cloud disappeared into the darkness of the bathroom, closing the door softly behind him.

Denzel walked back towards the hallway, Tifa's head popping into view as she climbed the steps with the new child when he reached the top of the stairs. He stopped, pondering the new and exciting situation. "Where is he gonna sleep?"

Tifa reached the top of the stairs. "Cloud's office for now. Vincent said he was going to leave after dinner, his wanderlust is growing again. Barret is using the other guest room."

"Papa said he's gonna help Cloud put a bed in the room next to ours!" Marlene said.

"Oh. Really?" Denzel was still excited about the new kid, but he felt a slight pang of jealousy. He was promised a room of his own for his next birthday, but the new child would get one off the bat. He pushed the feeling down; this wasn't the time or place for such feelings.

A groan issued from the bathroom down the hall, and Tifa hurriedly ushered the children into the office. Denzel moved the covers as Tifa finally laid the child down, onto the bed. He was about Denzel's age, his hair dirty blond and unkempt and freckles lining his nose and cheeks. He and Marlene observed the child's features. Lanky for his age, wearing clothing that obviously had been on his back too long. Tifa figured she could clean everything up later, letting the boy rest first. Denzel placed the covers back onto the new family member, Tifa tucking the child in around the sides.

"Don't disturb him, now. He's had a very long day..." Tifa turned around to leave, sighing. "I think I'm going to start dinner while I still have the energy."

* * *

Laughter rippled through his consciousness, his body surrounded in warmth. He shifted his limbs, fabric embracing him. What is this? Blankets? His stomach ached from the absence of food for almost a week, with the exception of a few crumbs of dusty bread and dirty water. He sat up, looking around. This wasn't the dark dungeon that he thought he was going to die in, like his sister... It was dark, but a dim light came in from what he assumed was a hallway, the door to his room had a window.

Where was he?

Gingerly, the child pulled himself off the bed, looking about the darkness as his feet contacted cool wood. There was a desk next to the bed he had been laying on, and tires laying in a corner further away. Slowly, he made for the door, relieved that it was unlocked. He peeked out one way, more light coming from what looked like a stairwell, then the other way, the hallway ending in a dark room, other doors lining the space. He smelled food, but he was afraid to see who might be waiting down stairs. The booming laughter was scary to him after his week long ordeal.

He left the room he had been sleeping in, wandering to a nearby room. It was softly lit, with two beds and toys here and there. Were there other kids here? What happened, how did he get here? The last thing he remembered was a nice lady holding him as he cried. Did she take him to her home? He rubbed his eyes, unsure of everything and trying to process what he knew.

He yelped as a hand contacted his shoulder. "H-hey. It's okay." The voice was was strong and quiet. He peered up in the dim light; a man with spiky blond hair and softly glowing blue eyes looked at him with concern, his head watching from above as he bent over to inspect the fearful child.

He blinked at the man, unsure what to make of him. "Um...Where..."

"...You're at our place."

The boy shifted his feet and looked about a little more, not sure whether to trust this man. The adult sat down next to the boy, leaning against the wall. He seemed to study the child, and seemed unsure how to proceed with the conversation.

"...My name is Cloud. Do you mind telling me yours?"

The child's green eyes lit up at the name, remembering the woman's words. "Cloud...You beat up bad guys, right?"

Cloud let out a small snicker, nodding. "Yeah. I guess Tifa told you."

"Tifa?" The boy cautiously sat next to Cloud.

"She brought you here."

The boy remembered her, the woman had lulled him to sleep after rescuing him. "Why?"

Cloud stayed quiet for a moment, the only sound coming from a conversation downstairs. "...She said...You needed a family. So..." He was rubbing the back of his neck.

The boy looked down into his lap for a long time, unsure how to take the news. He hadn't had a family since his mother died of Geostigma, only he and his sister. Now, only he was left. Why are these people bringing him in? "I...don't get it."

"...I guess adults do things just because." Cloud sighed, looking at the other wall in front of him. "We can't make you stay, but you're welcome to stay with us if you want."

The boy nodded, understanding an offer given. He stayed silent for a minute, looking Cloud up and down, the man glancing back at the child as his stomach growled. Cloud chuckled, and began to stand himself up. He held a hand out to the still sitting child.

"Hungry? There's food downstairs." Cloud gave him a small smile. The boy thought a moment, then took his hand. They walked towards the stairwell, Cloud looking back down at the child. "Still be nice to call you by your name, you know."

The boy looked down as he went downstairs with Cloud. "...My name is Zeph."

The first thing Zeph noticed when he came down the stairs was that the lower part of the home was a bar. The second thing he noticed was that the front of the bar was filled with a multitude of strange adults, a couple of children, and a strange red beast, the sight of which made him move behind Cloud. He pat Zeph on the shoulder, reassuring him. "That's Nanaki. He's nice to kids."

The beast known as Nanaki looked over a moment later, making eye contact with the child as they came past the counter. He seemed to nod after a fashion, Zeph cautiously approaching the creature that for the life of him, he couldn't tell was more canine than feline, or vice versa. Nanaki let out a small huff and almost looked like he was smiling, that single amber eye of his on the boy. "Did you rest well?"

Zeph gasped. "You can talk!"

Nanaki chuckled. "I can talk quite a bit at times. But, maybe later..."

A sinister looking man walked towards Cloud. He looked down at the child with blood red eyes, then towards his new guardian. "I'd best be going now."

"I'll see you out in a moment, Vincent." Cloud turned to Zeph, and took him to an empty seat. "I'll be right back."

Zeph sat at the seat, watching as Cloud and the man named Vincent left through the front door. A kindly voice made him turn his head towards the table, recognizing the woman it belonged to as the same person that comforted him, the one Cloud called Tifa. She was sitting by a large, dark skinned man and a little girl. The woman leaned over, and placed a bowl of food in front of him. It looked like some sort of meat stew.

"Hey! You're awake. Here's something to eat, if you're hungry."

The big dark-skinned man laughed. "Hey kid! Heard you got rescued from some crazy bast-"

"Barret!" Tifa scolded. The man waved his strange metal hand dismissively, a slight pink tinge to his cheeks. Was that a metal glove?

"Sorry Tifa. Hey, kid, what's your name?" Barret's voice was rough and friendly, just like his smile.

Swallowing a spoonful of his meal, the child answered. "Zeph..." He looked up shyly at the two adults. The little girl wearing a pink bow next to Tifa waved at him from her seat.

"Nice to meet you, Zeph!" the little girl said. "My name is Marlene."

"I'm Denzel." said a voice to his side. He turned, and a boy with unruly brown hair and vivid blue eyes was looking at him; he looked to be about Zeph's age. "...Are you gonna stay with us?" Denzel held a hopeful look on his face.

Zeph thought a moment as he chewed his food, his belly happy to finally have something good filling it after so long. When was the last time he had had a hot meal? The people here were friendlier than the people out there in the slums.

"Maybe."


	17. In The Doghouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't noticed, I've added some drabbles for Zeph for those interested. They'll detail what he's been up to and how he adapts to his new family. Naturally there'll be Cloud and Barret banter and more slice of life funsies.

The last week had been the most pleasant Zeph had had in a long time. The adults let him slowly acclimate to their home and schedules as the other children went to school; the school year was almost at an end, and Denzel and Marlene promised to help him catch up with them so he could enroll in the fall. Tifa had cleaned Zeph up and shopped for new clothing for him, and Cloud and Barret had showed him around the neighborhood since he'd never been to this part of the city before, the two adults pointing out landmarks to find his way home easier.

He learned that Barret and Nanaki would eventually leave again, but promised to come by once in a while to visit or say hello. Cloud did deliveries and would go anywhere to deliver a package for the right price, though he admitted he hadn't done many lately that involved him roaming too far from home. Tifa ran the bar downstairs by herself most afternoons and evenings, and occasionally Marlene and Denzel would help her. It wasn't a normal family, but it was close-knit.

Though the days had been distracting, the nights still brought images of his dying mother or his sister being torn apart by that werewolf Cloud slayed. The night terrors had been bad enough that the adults and the other children had entered the office just to make sure he hadn't been murdered in his sleep when he screamed, and Nanaki began sleeping in the room at the foot of the bed by the second night, inquiring of the child's dreams in an attempt to help Zeph work through his PTSD.

"Hm...You know, all of us have nightmares from time to time of things that happened to us or others in front of our eyes. You need to confront these experiences before they consume you," Nanaki whispered slowly, looking up at the child sitting in the dark room. The only other sound was that of Barret's snoring from elsewhere in the house.

Zeph moaned softly. "I think it's my fault. My sister, that is."

"How?"

"...Valdt bribed us with food. We were so hungry...He pretended to be nice, and I thought it'd be okay, and my little sister trusted me to do the right thing. And then after following him, we fell asleep and woke up in one of those cells."

Nanaki shook his head. "That's not your fault. You had no idea he was a monster."

Zeph shrugged on his bed. "I couldn't save her. Fiore died because I trusted him."

"I blame myself for not smelling the beast out sooner." Nanaki said, perturbed by the child's thoughts.

Zeph frowned. "But you wouldn't have known, right? Unless you knew there was a werewolf in the first place..."

Nanaki snorted. "If I knew. If you knew. The only blame is on Valdt, and now he is dead. He'll never harm a child again."

"Yeah, but...there's more werewolves out there. I heard what Valdt said...He thought Evan was a werewolf. But...wouldn't you have known if he was?" Zeph's brows knitted together.

Nanaki was quiet for a moment, avoiding the whole truth with the child. "He most certainly isn't a werewolf. Smells nothing like one. Valdt must have been mistaken..."

Zeph laid back down. "Is it true they're gonna check the city in a couple of nights?"

Nanaki sighed quietly. "Yes. The surrounding area, too. Just to make sure."

The boy yawned, sleep starting to take him after his talk. "I hope they find it." After his hideous ordeal, he'd only truly be happy after each and every one of those things were finally dead.

On the floor, Nanaki had a worried expression on his face as he curled up again, flicking his glowing tail softly. _'I hope they never do.'_

* * *

Cloud used to like oatmeal. It used to warm him up and stick to his stomach, and he used to put fruit in it, like bananas and strawberries. Now, it tasted like cardboard mush in his mouth, his displeasure written all over his face as he looked sadly towards Tifa. Yes, he knew he had to keep up appearances with Barret in the house, the man more observant than Yuffie, but damn if he wouldn't kill for some meat. Marlene snickered at him, and he turned with a disappointed frown; it was taking all of her willpower not to laugh loudly at his pouty face. Zeph raised a brow as he ate a spoonful from his own bowl, and Denzel sniggered next to the sad looking werewolf.

"Hey, Spiky! Thought you liked oatmeal!"

Cloud swallowed a spoonful painfully. "Not much in the mood this morning, I guess."

Barret chuckled at the spiky haired man, pointing to Nanaki's guest bowl. "Guess you'd rather have leftovers from last night."

Cloud let out a snort, glancing at the now empty bowl. _'You bet I would.'_

Tifa had hidden any real silver in the house the day after she caught Barret reading Denzel's encyclopedia, the curious man wanting information on the creatures after learning of a possible straggler in the city and the gruesome details from the WRO clean up crew. He was going to join in the local government's hunt for the werewolf on the upcoming Full Moon, and needed to know about his prey; Barret wasn't going to let some sick monster hurt his little daughter, or the two boys living with her for that matter.

"I don't think so, Barret..." Cloud sipped his coffee, washing away remnants of the disgusting oatmeal. "Not interested in this wild goose chase."

Barret looked disappointed in Cloud as he hungrily ate the rest of his oatmeal, tapping at the map on the table. "What, you gotta delivery that night or somethin'?" Before Cloud could respond with a 'yes', Barret circled the entire area around Edge and Midgar, including the cave that Cloud had marked. "We need people to comb through for that rat bastard! What if it sets up shop in Edge and starts eatin' lil' kids, eats my Marlene? I ain't havin' no mangy mutt runnin' around here!" Marlene rolled her eyes as she scooped her breakfast from her bowl, Zeph nodding at Barret's words.

Cloud kept up his poker face as he drank from his mug, but in his mind he was screaming obscenities. They're checking out that far? Will they do it next month? Where the hell was he going to change, near the Forgotten Capital? What the hell was he going to do, when the existence of werewolves was now at least locally believed now?

Tifa came up to the table to collect the dirty bowls. "Um...actually..." Her face was hideously red Cloud observed, and he knotted his brows together. What was she going to say? "...I'd feel safer if Cloud stayed here. In case the...werewolf...tried to get into the house."

He stared at her, unsure what the hell she was thinking, saying that. Granted he didn't scream out anymore as he transformed into a beast thanks to Vincent, but Marlene and Denzel would be curious, he'd probably be cooped up in the garage, and Zeph sure as hell couldn't find out about it. Tifa looked at him as she took his half eaten bowl of oatmeal, and gave him a nod. Cloud heard Denzel audibly, excitedly gasp next to him, as if someone gave him a giant birthday present. _'...Kids.'_

Barret stroked his scruffy chin. "Well, it'd keep the kids safe just in case that mutt showed up. Evan said that it's probably the same one that killed Valdt's men."

Cloud almost spit out his coffee. It looked like Evan was stirring the shit pot, again. He was going to have to have a talk with the detective later on. "...Guess it's decided then. I'll watch the house." He thought a moment, remembering his trove of beef jerky in Fenrir. He stood up, taking his mug with him; the conversation was done as far as it mattered to him. "Well, guess I'll fix up Fenrir some now. She needs a tune up."

* * *

"You're really gonna stay here?" Denzel said excitedly.

Cloud frowned. "Yeah, I don't have a choice in the matter, or I wouldn't." He looked about for a tool as he checked on his bike, gnawing on a piece of jerky.

The boy grinned. "I wanna see you!"

"No." The warrior leaned his face towards the engine, his cheeks red as he tried to ignore his embarrassment.

"Why not? Are you afraid you'd hurt me?"

Cloud sighed, slowly looking down towards Denzel. "Not anymore. I just..." He bit his lip. "Seeing me like that..."

Before Denzel could retort, the garage door opened and Zeph sheepishly entered the room. He shifted his weight on his legs as he watched the two, and Cloud wondered if the jig was up already despite their low voices. The blond haired boy walked towards them and glanced at Fenrir. "...Is it okay if I watched you work on your bike?"

The swordsman grinned, relief on his face. "Of course you can."

Zeph watched silently from a stool as Cloud occasionally asked for some item from Denzel; a wrench or lubricant, a rag or his polish. Cloud looked over at the newest family member once in a while, the boy blinking and glancing back at the bike in response. Eventually Cloud finished his work, wiping grease from his fingers with a dirty rag as he sat next to Fenrir.

"That's finished. I'll have to do some deliveries tomorrow and catch up on my work while I can."

Zeph fidgeted. "You're still working tomorrow?"

Cloud nodded. "People need their deliveries. I can still watch the bar tomorrow night, don't worry."

"Yeah, but I bet that werewolf isn't gonna show up, anyway," Denzel said.

Zeph frowned. "How do you know? Maybe it wants to get revenge for killing Valdt."

The warrior held a sour expression on his face. "...I doubt it would want to end up dead." He bit into some jerky he had already torn open, tossing the wrap in the trash. Cloud noticed the boy staring at him and raised a brow. "What?"

"Nothing..."

The swordsman sighed. "Are you still worried?" He knew the child was watchful for any suspicious signs, the 'what ifs' of a traumatized child. He could smell fear on him almost all the time, though it wasn't always intense; sometimes it was just a little here and there, and other times it flared.

Zeph shrugged. "I can't help it yet."

"You aren't gonna get eaten by any monsters. Either me or Tifa'll get them."

Denzel nodded. "Cloud's super strong! I bet he could beat up a Behemoth with his bare hands!"

Zeph frowned. Denzel had shown off his monster encyclopedia, and he had flipped to a picture of the mighty beasts. "I know he's strong, but I don't think he's that strong..."

"He beat up Sephi-"

"Guys." Cloud stood in front of them. "...Wanna go to the park before lunch?"

* * *

Barret waved good bye to the family the very next night, strong arming Nanaki into being his trail sniffer, the beast looking less than pleased with his nocturnal job. He looked up with his amber eye towards Cloud, a strange look to it. "Try and keep everyone safe."

"I plan on it. Good luck, you two." Cloud followed them out, the Full Moon gleaming in the sky already. Not much time left, but he had to put the kids to bed with Tifa before he had to give in to the change. Giving a final wave, he went back inside and locked the door. Tifa and the children looked up towards him, only one not knowing what was about to happen in the house: Zeph.

"It's time for bed you guys, it's already a bit past ten," Tifa said, ushering them upstairs. They were already in their pajamas, Denzel and Marlene obviously in an excitable mood while Zeph seemed almost subdued in his march upstairs. Tifa noticed that the child was almost as broody as Cloud himself could be when he was in one of his moods; it was an unusual trait in children but could be easily explained in his case.

The two adults tucked in Denzel and Marlene, talking of mundane things like what they wanted to do during summer vacation or asking the next time they could visit the church. Zeph joined in here and there, the other children encouraging him to speak up. After a few minutes they wished the children a good night, then went to take Zeph to his new room.

The room was a little smaller than Cloud's office, but had a nice view of the street below; there was a wooden bed by the wall that Barret and Cloud had put together and a blue and white quilt covering it. They tucked Zeph in, the little boy fearful with the Full Moon out. He looked out at the cityscape, street lights and moonlight covering it. He looked back at Cloud and Tifa, his green eyes searching for comfort and reassurance.

"Do you think the werewolf'll attack the house?" His hands had pulled his blankets over his mouth.

They both shook their heads. Tifa gave him a little smile. "It'd be a bad idea to attack a place like this, anyway. Don't you think?"

Zeph nodded, but still looked scared. Tifa took his hand, smile still on her face. "I can stay here until you fall asleep if you want." She looked up at Cloud, and he nodded.

"Night, kiddo. I'll keep the monsters away." Well, he would if any actually showed up. Cloud exited the room, Tifa sitting on the child's bedside and holding his hand.

Tifa gave the boy a sweet smile. "How are you enjoying your stay with us so far, Zeph?"

The boy looked down towards the woman's hand that held his, focusing on it. "...It's really nice, thank you..."

"Good. I'm hoping we can get you ready in time for school in September, I'm not sure how much you need to catch up."

Zeph seemed to be thinking, scrunching his brows. "I never went to school, but Mom made sure we could read n' write."

Tifa's eyes lit up. "Oh, well that's good! Maybe we'll work on math, then."

The boy looked out the window again, sighing. "I hope Mr. Barret finds that werewolf."

The woman frowned. "I just hope he stays safe. Well, it's not like it's Valdt, right?"

Zeph shook his head. "Might be, though." He looked back towards Tifa. "He talked about takin' us to different people and werewolves if he didn't eat us first." 

Tifa gave a solemn nod, their assumptions confirmed. "We'll find them and make them pay, Zeph."

The child's eyes lit up. "Is Cloud gonna slay a buncha werewolves?"

Tifa sighed, giving him a half smile. "If they have it coming, he will."

Zeph nodded and a ghost of a smile formed on his face. "His swords are so cool. Denzel said he fought Deepground with them! Is that true?"

Tifa giggled at the query. "Yeah. We all came to fight them off."

His eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Mhm."

"...Wow." Tifa talked with the boy some more, and slowly he mentally winded down until his eyelids became heavy. The brown haired woman bid him goodnight before exiting and going towards her room for a few things to make her stay in the garage more comfortable.

* * *

Cloud made his way towards and down the stairwell, then opened the door to the garage and left it unlocked for Tifa; she said she would be downstairs to keep him company during the night, an offer he'd happily take. He left the light off, almost never really using it one way or the other, and Tifa could turn it on if she needed it anyway. His bare feet made soft noises against the cool concrete of the large room, almost echoing off the walls.

Opening up one of Fenrir's compartments, he took a few large pieces of jerky out to give him something to gnaw on later, opening their packages and placing the meat on a small box. He sighed noisily, the heat was getting to him now, tugging at him; he began to strip his night clothing, a black shirt and pajama bottoms. He folded them and stretched, wondering how long he'd have to do this in the garage. Maybe he'd have to go out some night and hunt, give the bestial instincts freedom to roam the next time he felt like being more animal than human. _'Am I still human? Probably not.'_ The only thing that mattered was that he was still himself, mostly.

That brought another question to his mind. Valdt talked to him while he was a wolf. Could he eventually warp individual parts of his body willingly? It already happened with his teeth as they chased the monster, his teeth deadly sharp during the afternoon foray into the slums. If he could talk...Valdt's cognitive abilities were better than Cloud's. That's something he had to work on, he thought.

Finishing with his thoughts he let out a soft grunt, and as he felt his insides churn he quickly began to change, much like he did when Vincent pushed him out in the wastes. The sounds were the worst part of the ordeal that came from shifting and snapping bones and growing flesh, but the pain had subsided greatly; parts of his change almost tickled instead of ached now, even as the act quickened over the months and during his recent training. He flexed his clawed hands as they finished changing, looking them over. Why they didn't hurt more pushing out, he had no idea. It felt like his teeth if he'd chewed gum for too long.

The sound of footsteps reached his ears, and he cocked his head, listening. Tifa? No, too light. Who was out of bed? The patter came closer and he froze, thinking it could be either Denzel or Zeph; their footfalls sounded very similar still to the werewolf. _**'Don't come in...Don't come in...'**_

The door opened abruptly but silently, Denzel coming into view with the low light of the bar behind him. The boy walked sleepily towards Fenrir, as if looking for something. The wolf inside inquired of the boy, and Cloud answered; he was his guardian, and he'd kill anyone who hurt him. Still standing quietly, he moved his head to watch Denzel. He had to know he was in here, they had already talked about it earlier as they worked on his bike the other day, and again today as Nanaki took Zeph for a walk.

Denzel was definitely searching for something, unaware of the blue dots watching him from a black corner of the garage. "...Cloud?" He was searching for him, why? Did he just want to see him out of curiosity? That would be like Denzel. He said he looked pretty cool after Yuffie flashed that picture of him. Cloud snorted at the memory, wanting to smile if only it wouldn't flash his fangs.

The boy snapped his head towards the sound, wide-eyed. The blue dots shifted from high up above the boy to almost his eye level. Denzel's eyes adjusting to the darkness, he saw the same wolf monster from Yuffie's phone over a month ago blinking at him with a cocked head, ears forward as it crouched, its long, bent arms holding up it's front end lowly. Denzel stayed still a moment, then came over whispering "Cool!" as he came to stand in front of the beast. He came up to Cloud, the werewolf holding an obviously disapproving expression on his face. "Sorry...I wanted to see you."

Cloud listened to the words, making out "Sorry", "I" and "you". Whatever, he'd talk to him in the morning after Tifa scolded him, if he felt like telling her, that is. He shook his head, sighing at the boy as he grinned excitedly at his now furry guardian. Cloud crawled across the concrete floor and past Denzel, and peeked at the open door. No one was in the bar, and he heard and smelled nothing out of place. He looked at Denzel, and sternly motioned with his head to leave.

The boy seemed to understand better than Yuffie last month that Cloud wanted him to leave the garage. He slowly made his way towards the door with a small pout. As he reached the light of the door, Denzel looked up at Cloud, the werewolf watching the boy as he exited; he put his small hand to one of the werewolf's arms and gave him a small hug, the temptation was too great. He smiled as he looked at Cloud's face, the sternness evaporating, then nodded. "Goodnight, Cloud." He stealthily made his way back up the stairs and barely made a sound. Cloud noticed the child was avoiding creaky floorboards. When did he learn to be so sneaky? _**'...Yuffie.'**_

The werewolf closed the door as softly as he could and made his way back to the corner where his clothing was; he gnawed on a piece of jerky as he pondered if Tifa had finally gotten Zeph to sleep yet. Laying down to rest, the minutes passed. He began to listen to the sounds of passing footsteps outside of both human and animal, the tug to investigate growing; they were probably WRO affiliated. The grumble of a dog could be heard outside and shifting human feet, and Cloud had to fight the urge to rip open the garage door and see who was outside his den, intruding on his territory. He let out a low growl, irritated at whoever it was. The dog responded with a grumble of its own.

Another noise came to his ears, the sound of bare feet softly tapping against the floor inside the bar. He looked up, and the door to the garage opened up to reveal Tifa; she had a pillow and a blanket with her. She looked around, her face showing her apprehension of the dark room. Cloud let out a soft whine, and her face found his glowing blue eyes watching her from near the ground. She sighed with some relief and slowly made her way towards him after closing the door as quietly as she could, making sure to memorize her path before removing the little light that made its way into the room.

Tifa found her way, a hand eventually touching Cloud's furry side; she sat herself by his head and put the pillow behind her back for support. He laid his head happily on her lap, a sigh escaping his mouth as he situated himself. He sniffed softly, enjoying her lovely scent. Everything about her calmed him down, and he loved it, loved her. Tifa rubbed his head, enjoying his soft fur on her fingers, listening to his deep breathing and watching the darkness of the room they occupied. She began to whisper to the large werewolf. "Oh, Cloud..." His ears moved forward, eyes looking up at her. "The things we've been through...I guess you don't understand what I'm saying." A small laugh escaped her lips.

_**'...I understand you, Tifa.'** _

"But...I think, maybe it's easier to say what I'm thinking right now. I...Cloud...You try to keep us safe all the time. I want to keep you safe, too. We're like a real family, we really are. I don't want to lose you, ever..."

_**'Like a real family...doesn't want to lose me...'** _

Tifa rubbed the beast's head gently. "I love you, Cloud. Even if you're a pain in the ass werewolf." Her voice quivered from emotion and humor, Cloud understanding every word. Why could he? He couldn't understand everything Denzel said. Was something just clicking into place? He nuzzled her lap, his chest full of emotions he couldn't speak of. No, he wouldn't speak; he'd act on those emotions instead, tomorrow.

Tifa let out a little sigh, and bent over and gave Cloud a kiss on his dark forehead. "Goodnight, Cloud." He let out a short grumble, the woman taking it as his way of saying goodnight back to her. She continued to run her fingers through his fur until they both succumbed to sleep.


	18. Only Like It's A Real Family

"Hey, Nanaki! You gettin' anything out here?" Barret walked up to the sniffing beast, the two near the beach that the port in Edge was constructed on. The lights of the city slowly weakened as they pushed away from it, looking towards the darkness beckoning the duo. The man had silver bullets made by the WRO, even as Yuffie chastised him for the splurge in ammo. Surely she understood why! She narrowly escaped a werewolf's attack, if Evan was right. Had she seen it?

"Hm...No. Nothing yet..." Nanaki was glad to be out of the city and in the wilderness, where the scents were cleaner. He didn't think he'd find anything out here, but nonetheless he'd find what he could for his friend, if anything lurked out here that is. They traveled further on the beach, the moon giving them light enough to see anything in front of them. Nanaki felt a comfort from it, knowing Barret would at least be able to see somewhat tonight.

Onward they went for what seemed like hours, towards the bottom of a cliff that ended on the desolate beach. The moonlight was angled just right to where most of the area was properly illuminated in a bluish light that assisted the adventurers. Nanaki sniffed at the ground, the scent of the ocean and beach creatures flooding his nose. He almost brought his head up when he smelt something else, making him freeze. It was dusty and heavy... It seemed Cloud wasn't the only local werewolf, after all.

It wasn't as if he hadn't smelled the trail of the shapeshifters before, but in and around Edge the trails were usually faint or overpowered by the city's many scents. Until recently none had come so close to Seventh Heaven, and Nanaki never quite knew how to broach the subject with his friends. He had figured at the time that they would have looked at him incredulously, disbelieving in a monster that looked human most of the time but wasn't quite so. Now that one of his friends had become one, he hadn't had to make a drawn out explanation and retorts. It was a terrible way to avoid it, but Nanaki trusted Cloud could keep himself under control, just as he kept that feeling, Gillian, under control.

"I smell it..." he said, the surprise in his voice ignored by Barret. So, there was yet another werewolf at work in the area? How many were there, anyway? No matter. He searched around for the trail, finding it after a few moments. "This way."

Barret nodded, walking slowly behind his friend as he tracked the werewolf. He wouldn't let one of those things anywhere near Marlene, a desire to exterminate every last one since he was given that report on what was found in the sewers. Children's bones, papers on child trafficking, drugs, even a small torture room that was almost hidden from view until a cadet touched a secret switch in the wall. They had found another child there, barely alive, tied to a table. He wasn't sure if the child would survive or not.

At least Cloud was at home, watching over the children and Tifa. He may be a broody jerk sometimes, he reasoned, but he always put the family first; Barret had no doubt they were in good hands tonight, away from the terrors creeping in the shadows. He looked around as Nanaki sniffed towards the dreary cliff, making sure they weren't being stalked. The beach was too quiet, even with the sound of crashing waves nearby.

Nanaki growled low as they came towards some large rocks by the cliff face, the werewolf scent strong near the outcropping of stone. He quickly looked up at Barret, motioning with his head that the monster was behind here. No doubt, it already knew they were on the other side, too. They both tensed, and then, at the same time pounced behind the rocks, Barret's gun arm ready to pump silver

To nothing at all. It seemed that way at first, at least. Nanaki looked down at the ground his paws landed upon and discovered them to be resting upon moist, sand covered organs, the beast gasping a yelp as he quickly removed them from the soft, oozing gore. The owner of the viscera was some unknown woman, her throat torn out and her torso eviscerated; the face was barely recognizable from claw marks. Nanaki looked around, certain the monster was close by. He heard a battle shout from Barret, the man running towards something...

Nanaki gawked, his friend was charging a rampaging werewolf that seemed keen on making Barret its next victim for the night. It howled soullessly, clawed hands grasping the air in front of it for the gunman's body while in the throes of bloodlust. The red beast charged immediately into battle, quickly making up distance and planning to leap on the monster before it could possibly kill or infect Barret.

Before he could jump, a loud banging noise rang across the beach, and the werewolf stopped in its tracks, silent and dead still. Then, it started to release an unholy scream, a black smoke coming from a wound in its chest. The monster scratched at it as it tried to tear out the offending object, but it limply went to its knees as it continued its death screech. The stench of burning flesh came to the duo's noses as dark blood ran freely from the chest wound, Nanaki observing tiny dark chunks flowing out with the warm, dark liquid.

The werewolf collapsed, a final pained moan greeting the sand it lay upon. There was no exit wound, the silver bullet was still lodged into the monster's chest and burning it from the inside out. Nanaki and Barret's ears still rang from the combination of gunshot and screaming, the two slowly looking at each other in amazement and horror. Nanaki tentatively nudged the beast, but it did not stir. Burnt, stinking blood began to soak the sand around its torso, and Barret cocked his gun hand.

"Damn. I knew silver bullets would come in handy! Stops the suckas dead!" Barret was in awe at the efficiency of the new bullets he was using.

Nanaki nudged the limp corpse again, making sure it was truly dead. "...Do you think this is the one..."

Barret lifted the monster's head up, getting a good look at it. He hummed, fiddling with a pocket and finally finding a small, powerful flashlight and pulling it out. He turned it on, and examined the face. The fur was nearly black and flowing, the eyes a pasty green. The snout was angular and black, the wide ears flopping lifelessly. Barret hummed to himself again, staring at the face. Finally he put it down and turned off his flashlight, shaking his head.

"Nah. See, I got the composite picture of the one that Yuffie saw. It was blond and the fur was shorter and spikier. Don't know about the eyes, though. Snout was a little stubbier than this one, too." He examined the arms of the beast, the stubby fingers ending in cruel claws. A curious looking beast, now that he wasn't in fear of his life he took time to study it.

Nanaki silently thanked the Planet that Barret hadn't had any suspicions towards Cloud because of Evan's information; if he had known about the glowing blue eyes he was certain Barret would have marched to Seventh Heaven to kill the swordsman. "...So I guess this is a third werewolf. Perhaps the others will find the second one in due time," he said tentatively. He knew they wouldn't, unless that second werewolf decided to go outside in public during the night. Hopefully, Tifa could keep that from happening, he thought.

Barret whipped out his phone, contacting the hunt organizer. After some small greetings between them, Barret described the battle and their trophy for the night. Barret nodded a few times more, grunting confirmations to the organizer. He finally hung up and looked down at Nanaki while fishing something out of his pocket. "Looks like they'll have someone come pick it up later." He took out a small tracker, placing it on the corpse after activating it.

The red beast cocked his head, curious. "They're going to properly dispose of the corpse, I assume?"

Barret nodded. "After some tests. They wanna at least get some kinda screening going so they can make sure none of those things are working for the WRO!" He looked proud of his kill; this was one werewolf down, which meant safer streets for Marlene.

Nanaki sighed. "I see."

The gun man looked at his phone, it was 3:30am. He yawned, scratching his side with his normal hand. "Think we can make it back to the bar in time for breakfast?" He was tired despite his long afternoon nap, and he was out of his element this late at night.

His friend nodded as he began the walk back, desiring the same things Barret did. "I think so."

* * *

Tifa stirred, looking about the darkness of the garage. What time was it? Her hand shifted, noticing it as on a smooth and cool surface; she rubbed it a few times and realized it was Cloud's naked back. The sensation caused him to grunt softly, his face still in her lap with a hand over her knee. Tifa let out a soft giggle. His morning grogginess cute, even if she couldn't quite see him.

"Good morning, Cloud." She ran her hand over his spikes.

He let out another grunt, shifting himself upwards to look at her. "Mornin'."

He slowly, reluctantly removed himself from Tifa, sighing. He quickly walked over to his night clothes and put them on before helping Tifa up off of the floor and giving her a hug that she happily gave back. He held her wrist gently, tugging her through the darkness to the door; they both entered the quiet bar stretching.

Tifa began fumbling with the pans while Cloud fixed up the coffeemaker silently, making sure to make a large pot. He wasn't sure what time it was, but he was certain Barret would be coming home soon, tired and empty handed from his little hunt. Metal softly clanged onto the stove behind him, and he looked back as he turned the coffeemaker on.

"Any requests?" Tifa asked, a silly smile on her face. As if she needed to ask.

"Something with meat in it, please..." Cloud's voice was pleading. He couldn't take another day of oatmeal or pancakes or hash browns...Well, the hash browns were okay on the side, he reasoned. They added a nice crunch to his eggs.

Tifa chuckled, then nodded. "I think I know what to make, then."

Cloud grunted in approval before removing a mug from the cupboard. Waiting for the coffee to finish, he decided to go upstairs to their room and fetch his phone. He looked at the steps, trying to copy Denzel's pattern from last night but he still caused creaks and groans. He frowned at his lack of success, then shrugged before making his way into his bedroom to collect his phone. He looked at it, the time was 6:45am. They'd be home soon.

Sighing, he checked on the children. He opened the door to Zeph's room, the child still fast asleep; he twitched in his sleep a little and Cloud hoped he wasn't having another nightmare. He watched for a few moments, satisfied the child was merely having a dream. Cloud softly closed the door, then made his way to Denzel and Marlene's room, hearing whispered chatter from the other side of the door.

"You did what?!" Marlene. She sounded surprised.

"I really wanted to see what he looked like..." Denzel.

"I bet he's embarrassed." She sounded sympathetic.

"He shouldn't, he looks really cool like that. I wonder if he'd let us ride his back..." Really now?

Cloud heard Marlene giggle, and he decided to make his entrance then, opening the door suddenly. They both looked up towards him while sitting on Denzel's bed, their eyes lighting up. He scratched the back of his head as he closed the door softly, fully entering their room and shaking his head at them.

"Don't I look cool already?"

The kids both laughed. "Yeah! but you looked cool down there, too," Denzel said.

Giving them a shy smile, Cloud sat on Denzel's bed, looking at the children as they leaned themselves towards him. "I didn't tell Tifa. But..."

"You just don't wanna be seen." Denzel's brow was raised.

"It's embarrassing, yeah." He gave him a small frown.

"We don't care what you look like," Marlene said. "As long as you're Cloud!" Denzel nodded firmly with the sentiment. Cloud blushed slightly, trying to keep a straight face.

"Still...No sneaking out of bed, alright? I have no idea how long I'll have to do this in the garage..."

The children gave him a nod, understanding that Cloud still had a need for solitude in that form. He gave them an appreciative smile, then lifted himself from the bed, leaving the room. Before he entered the stairwell he heard their feet hit the floor, and Marlene musing her thoughts to Denzel.

"We really are like a real family, sometimes." Like a real family...Like one...

* * *

"Uh...So there was another werewolf, then? Out on the beach?" Cloud was poking at his half finished omelette, filled with bacon and beef tips and a piece of tomato here and there. The breakfast Tifa cooked for him was heaven after several days of sad carby mornings, but the new information Barret and Nanaki brought from last night was surprising, to say the least. It was distracting him from his meal.

"Yeah! Shot that sucka dead with a single silver bullet! Ears still ringin' a little bit from the screams, though." Barret didn't notice Cloud's face pale more than it already was as he sat trying to finish his breakfast.

"...Screams?" Cloud frowned.

Barret nodded. "Looked painful, too. Won't get into details with the kids around and all, but I almost felt sorry for that thing."

Great. Cloud was certain he was going to meet his end by Barret's gun arm, a silver bullet lodged in his head in an 'act of mercy'. He went back to the rest of his meal, making sure to enjoy every moment he could until his inevitable death by his big, protective friend or by the WRO if their screening caught him when they finally set it up. His mind went back to his night with Tifa, the things she said to him...

He sighed, knowing what he had to do, should have done a while ago. Why Tifa continuously put him in her debt, he didn't know. Why she would go out of her way for him, he didn't know. Well, it was love, but still, why? He accepted her love, obviously, the two restarting their relationship awkwardly after he was cured of Geostigma. They were at a very comfortable level in their relationship, but he felt he had been too shy to confront her, not wanting to ruin what he had.

How could she want someone so broken? It took all Tifa had in her to keep him glued together. Without her he knew he would fall apart, had fallen apart. No one else knew him like she did, and still she wanted him there with her. No matter how much of a pain he was or if he left them in a stupid attempt to spare them the experience of watching him waste away in a puddle of his own pus, she always had his back. Or kicked his ass, whichever was needed most at the time. Today, though, things would change.

Finishing his food and swallowing the rest of his coffee, he stood up and placed his dishes in the sink, then made his way upstairs to get dressed. Tifa watched him make his way towards the stairs, a strange look on his face that sent a twang of concern through her chest. Her attention was broken by a tug on her pants, Nanaki looking upwards at her.

"Hey, Nanaki. Everything alright?" Her frown matched his, both knowing the subject at hand.

"They're still searching for the second werewolf, you know."

Tifa's frown deepened. "They aren't going to give up any time soon, are they?"

Nanaki shook his head. "They'll probably have an ability to screen people within the WRO in a month or two, with that fresh corpse from last night. I doubt they'll push it into the general population, unless of course there's a massacre."

Barret let out a laugh, holding a worried Marlene. "Don't worry, Tifa! We're gonna get every last werewolf in the city, none of them are gonna touch a hair on my little Marlene." The little girl locked eyes with Tifa, communicating in silence that she didn't like the thought of Cloud being one of the werewolves killed during this purge.

Before she could respond, Cloud had come back down the stairs, his usual clothing on and finishing placing a glove on one of his hands. He looked back towards his friends and family with an emotionless expression on his face, Tifa wondering if everything was alright. Probably not, with the news from last night. Were werewolves more common than they both thought? It certainly complicated the situation.

He walked towards the counter, giving a slight nod to Tifa as he placed his hands on the cool surface. "Right. Got some deliveries this morning."

Tifa cocked her head, brows knitted together. "When will you be back?"

He shook his head. "Don't know." Before she could say any more, he retreated back towards the garage, and after a few moments the sound of Fenrir starting up sounded softly in the bar. Soon the sound moved, then slowly disappeared as he went off on his deliveries.

Tifa frowned, hating that tone of voice, that answer. She remembered that tone from two years ago. Was he depressed again? Was he going to push them away, in an attempt to keep them safe? If only he had understood her last night, if only she would have said it to him this morning...

Barret patted her back softly, Tifa turning her attention to her old friend. "He's probably in one of his moods. You know how Spiky is when he's like that, maybe he just needs some alone time." Barret looked thoughtful for a moment, giving Marlene a little squeeze. "Speakin' of which, I should probably head out tomorrow. I need to get back to work in Junon, and now with these mutts runnin' around, well..." He frowned, holding his little girl on his knee. "...Cloud'll keep you all safe at night, right?"

Tifa nodded as she picked up her mug from the counter.

"Still, think I'm gonna have to make sure you're all safe when he's not around..." Barret picked up Marlene, standing her on the floor. He got up from his seat, shifting his jacket about and taking a last swig of his coffee. "I think I'll take a nap, then I'll take the kids shopping later."

Tifa raised a brow after sipping her coffee, looking at Barret. "Shopping?"

Barret moved past the counter, then turned back. "Yep. Gonna make sure the kids got some protection from ugly mutts!" He moved again for the guest bedroom, a big yawn coming from him as he reached it. Nanaki looked back up at Tifa, a sigh on his lips.

"I suppose I'll take a nap, too. Last night was tiring." He stretched much like a cat, Zeph watching him closely from his seat next to Denzel; he was still searching for the answer of whether Nanaki was more cat, or more dog.

"I'll call you when lunch is ready," Tifa said flatly. She wasn't sure if today was going to be good or bad.


	19. Under The Stars

Barret entered the weapons shop with three children in tow, Denzel and Marlene frowning while Zeph seemed excited at the prospect of some viable protection from werewolves. The shop glimmered with shining swords and daggers, maces and guns, rods and batons. It seemed if a weapon existed, it was probably being sold here.

The man at the counter looked up from his cleaning, using a soft rag to polish the glass case with its rows of small blade weapons. He looked a little coarse, with a short black beard and brown eyes, his body about as muscly as Barret's. He nodded at the new customers, no longer surprised to see children as of late; with talk of werewolves, his business had gone up.

"Welcome to my shop! Lemme guess, you're here for something silver, right?" He gave his new customers a toothy smile.

Barret nodded with a chuckle, clapping his hands and rubbing them together excitedly as the weapon's clerk went behind a red cloth screen. The sounds of shifting boxes soon hit the ears of the party of four. A moment later and the clerk had come back into view, holding several containers. He placed them on the counter, and Barret lifted Marlene up in his big arms to see the silvery treasures; Zeph and Denzel were tall enough to glance at a piece here and there to guess what they were.

The boxes contained daggers and clubs either made or coated with silver, some of the clubs dotted with small, shining spikes. There were also a few small bangles, still containing materia slots from a time when they were more commonplace. The clerk scooped up one of the longer daggers, glancing over it, then let Zeph hold it. "These daggers have been very popular this week for kids, though this one is closer to a short sword than a dagger... Parents don't want their older kids without something to injure a werewolf..." Zeph felt the smooth leather of the hilt in his palm, and he did a few swipes in the air facing away from Barret to get a feeling for the slightly heavy thing. The weapon really did look more like a short sword in the child's hand regardless if it was supposed to be a dagger or not. He looked up at Barret, smiling.

Denzel and Marlene seemed less pleased with Barret's choice of shop, but the little girl looked over the items in front of her. Cloud would still want them protected, wouldn't he? She bent down in front of her, grasping a small, silvery bangle. It had a single materia slot in it, and it covered a large part of her forearm. "I don't really wanna have a weapon. Can I have this instead?" Marlene looked up at her father, the man thinking it over.

"Well I guess, if Zeph and Denzel have weapons to protect you. No one's hurtin' my little girl!" Barret gushed, Denzel looking up with a brow raised and then back at the offered weapons.

"...I want something longer," he said quietly.

The clerk stroked his scruffy chin. "Longer? Hold on." He went back into the hidden area, the sound of clutter moving about and metal scratching concrete. A few minutes later the clerk returned, coming out from behind the counter to present a thin, long stick to the boy, and Denzel slowly grasped it. It was lighter than it looked and quite sturdy, the ends blunt. He liked the weapon, even if he'd have to avoid touching Cloud with it. The clerk pointed at the weapon approvingly.

"That there is a mythril rod, with silver coating the business ends. It's why it's so light and strong. Looks like it's a good length for you, kid," the clerk said with a grin. Barret had a good laugh as Denzel looked over the rod some more, clumsily trying to twirl it. Tifa might not be happy with them having weapons, but...If it made Barret feel they were safer, if Zeph felt more secure, it shouldn't be a problem, he thought.

"Alright, Denzel! That looks perfect for you." Satisfied with the children's choices Barret whipped out his wallet and purchased the weapons, letting the them hold their new treasures. The clerk brought out an adjustable scabbard for Zeph, the boy strapping it to his back proudly. After waving good bye, they left into the sunny central plaza of Edge.

"Do you think Cloud'll show us how to use them?" Zeph asked in a cheerful voice. He had seen Cloud's collection of swords and his fighting abilities.

Denzel kicked a pebble, holding his rod to his side. "Probably. He might be worried about us learnin' about weapons so early, though." When did Cloud say he learned how to use a sword? Fifteen?

Marlene skipped between the two boys and Barret. "I wanna learn from Tifa." Tifa never needed anything more than her fists and legs it seemed, and Marlene liked it ever since she saw her fight Loz.

Zeph looked back at Marlene, curiosity shining on his face. "Tifa can fight?"

Denzel and Marlene both smiled and chimed "Yeah!" at the same time. Denzel let out a little giggle, and continued. "She's amazing. Tifa knows martial arts and can do some really cool stuff with it. She's really strong for a girl!"

"What d'you mean 'for a girl'? We can be strong if we want to!" Marlene argued.

Denzel shook his head. "But a lot of girls don't want to be strong like Tifa," he replied.

Before they could continue their argument, the three children saw Barret stop walking; they came to his sides, Marlene holding his hand. He was greeting Evan Townshend, the detective that had that misadventure with Cloud, aiding in the rescue mission for Vits. Marlene and Denzel watched him quietly, remembering that Tifa had told them he had been on Cloud's case. Zeph was more open, believing the man's bumbling had saved him, if not his sister.

"Hey, Evan! How's it goin'!" Barret boomed, waving a hand. The detective waved back, and Vits held his other hand and looked warily at the large dark skinned man screaming his guardian's name. Evan reassured the boy with a pat on the back. Barret would be a fount of information on last night's hunt once he got a conversation going with him.

"Not bad. The hunters kept us up when they were searching around my house." Evan shrugged, giving a small smile. "I heard you were hunting last night. Find anything?"

Barret nodded grimly. "It was another werewolf, thing was stalking around the beach! Put some silver in it and it dropped dead." He thought a moment, looking at the detective. "Wasn't the same one as the one you was after, though. I still want that one's hide!"

Evan cocked his head. "Did Cloud participate last night?"

Barret shook his head. "No. He stayed home to watch over the family, in case that rabid mutt showed his ugly face around the neighborhood!"

The detective's mouth twitched nervously. He looked down towards the children, curious glances returned back at him. "That one must be quite wily, to not get caught..."

"He's gonna slip up some time, and I'll be there to put'em out of his misery!" Barret laughed, and Marlene frowned.

Evan nodded, knowing he was going to have to have a talk with the swordsman sooner or later. This werewolf business had had him on edge for nearly a month now, and with them being exposed because of Valdt to the public, things might get a little stranger than they already were. He sighed, wondering how things would turn out. "Well, we better be on our way, then. Vits needs a weapon to keep him safe...I guess we're going where you were coming from."

"Looks that way! You two stay safe, now." The two adults said their farewells, going in opposite directions. Barret made his way to Seventh Heaven, making small talk with the children about their weapons as they traveled on. "Bet Spiky's gonna be surprised when he sees these new toys!"

"Do you think so?" Zeph said enthusiastically.

The two other children stayed silent, unsure about his reaction. "Maybe we'll show him tomorrow," Denzel said.

* * *

Tifa busied herself with the dishes after dinner, a strange and bitter nostalgia covering the chore tonight as the water became cool. She felt alone again. Cloud had been quiet and distant during dinner; even the children seemed subdued by his mood, and Barret tried but failed to cheer them up. Was it just one of those days for him? He had seemed so warm that morning. What had changed?

Did he think he was a burden on her again? She didn't care. The only burden was his emotional distance. Maybe, she thought, she was thinking too hard on it. But she had tried talking to him before dinner, and he just averted his eyes and mumbled that there was something he had to do before walking off. Tifa felt almost angry. They had been through everything already!

Drying off the last of the dishes, she dried her hands off, sighing heavily. She looked at the bar, dark and cleaned up, the counters wiped and the floor sweeped. She went to the other guest room, wishing Barret and Nanaki a good night as they situated themselves in the room. She headed upstairs, making sure all the children were in bed already. Marlene and Denzel greeted her softly as she came in, Tifa giving them hugs and kisses good night. She went to Zeph's room quietly, the boy already asleep. She closed the door softly.

Walking into her shared room with Cloud, she was surprised he wasn't there; he wasn't in the bathroom, the door had been open and the room dark. She frowned, then saw a little white paper on her pillow. She picked it up, noticing Cloud's clunky hand writing on it:

_Meet me on the roof._

_Cloud_

'He's on the roof?' She looked about after reading the note, swaying on her legs. What's this all about? She looked to the open window by her side of the bed, the fire exit leading to the rooftop. She swung her legs out, slowly moving her torso and head out and standing straight; she looked up towards the sky, the stars surprisingly luminous tonight despite the city lights, the nearly full and waning moon shining low. Heading upwards on the exit ladder, she didn't have to travel far. As she peeked over the edge of the roof, Cloud's spiky head came into view, and he looked towards her as he sat cross-legged on the ground. She moved onto the roof, and noticed as she got closer to him he had a glass and a whiskey bottle that he had taken from the bar.

How long had he been up here, drinking? Probably since after dinner, she guessed, giving him almost two hours to get trashed. Cloud looked up at her as she stood next to him, finally sitting with her legs out in front of her, one on top of the other, and her arms propping her up. He took another long sip of the whiskey in his glass, staring out into the city with a look as if he had the weight of the entire world upon his shoulders and swaying slightly. Tifa let out a little cough, bringing his attention back to her.

"So, Cloud...What's this all about?" Her voice was subdued.

"I...needed to talk." His voice was a little lower than usual, and so very serious despite a slur. He filled his glass with the contents of the bottle in a slightly exaggerated manner. His face seemed flushed in the low light.

Tifa nodded. He could have spoken earlier..."What did you want to talk about?"

He took another swig of the whiskey, offering her some; she mentally shrugged and took the glass, sipping, figuring she'd need it if he felt he himself needed it this badly. "I...I don't know how I can ever catch up with the things you've done for me, ever. I know it's not a contest, but...I feel selfish right now. Like I can never ask enough of you. Don't I get tiresome?" His glowing eyes searched her, his eyelids drooping a little.

Tifa took another sip of the booze, the burning liquid giving her a little courage. "You get tiresome when you become distant, not when I help you. Am I tiresome when I need you?"

Cloud shook his head. "Never." There was a long pause, both of them looking up at the stars that watched as he made that promise to her so long ago. The swordsman fumbled with his fingers. "...Tifa. I asked you up here because...I'm done with us being like a real family."

Tifa's eyes widened and her face numbed. What was he saying? "Cloud? What do you mean?"

"That's all I hear. 'We're like a real family'. You said it, Marlene said it...As if we aren't really a family..." He trailed off, gulping from the bottle of hard booze as if he needed the burning drink to continue his train of thought. He let out a sigh as he removed his lips from the bottle and winced from the taste, repeating words he had said a minute ago. "I feel so selfish right now, Teef..."

Her eyes watered a little as she put the glass down. "Are you going to run off again? Leave us, leave me?" She closed her eyes as she brought her right hand to her face, slouching as her head swam from his words. She heard Cloud fidget next to her, and after a moment heard him sigh as he took a good, long swig of the whiskey yet again. "We've gone through everything together...You aren't a burden, Cloud, if that's what you mean...You never were."

"This is what I want, Tifa..." he said firmly with a slur. She was about to cry into her lap when she felt Cloud lift her left hand, as if to comfort her. "I...hope you'll accept it." Tifa's eyes burned and she clenched her teeth, her breath shuddering. What he wanted? What about what she and the children wanted? They want him there, happy and close and a family, even if it wasn't a conventional one. Suddenly, something warm and hard and smooth slipped onto her ring finger, and she looked up at the hand he held. Something shimmered in the twilight at her.

Slowly she pulled her hand closer to her tear stained face as Cloud released his gentle grip, observing what he had put on her finger. It was a delicate ring of white gold, with little yellow gold stars dancing upon the center of the band. Her mouth open, she looked it over, flabbergasted. Tifa looked up into Cloud's face, the tipsy werewolf swaying slightly in the dark, his glowing blue eyes half open and what seemed to be dark, blushing cheeks. "...Cloud...?"

"I wanna be a real family, Teef. Everything you said to me in the garage...I understood it." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she stared at the ring and then back at him. "I love you, Tifa. And I want to be a _real_ family, not just be _like_ a real one." He squeezed her. He tried subtly sniffing her hair for emotional ques but his senses were failing him with the copious consumption of whiskey. "Even if I'm like...this. Maybe that's why I think it's selfish of me." Cloud's voice had slurred even more as the alcohol churned through his system. "I...I need you. I need the kids."

He didn't hear an answer for a long time. Was she denying him? He couldn't blame her. Being a girlfriend was one thing, being a spouse was another. Especially to a werewolf...Did he think this through enough? Tifa seemed to begin shuddering a cry, and slowly looked up to Cloud, his face filled with fear that she might reject his proposal. She cupped his cheeks, bringing his face close to her. "Cloud...Thank you."

_'Thank you? For what?'_ His booze addled mind didn't quite get it, his brows knitting together lazily.

She kissed him, slowly bringing an arm to his neck and another to run through his hair. He gave the kiss back happily, rubbing her cheek tenderly, his lips forced into a smile as they kissed. After a few minutes she removed herself slowly from his lips, her ruby eyes sparkling back the light of the moon and the stars. "This...is what I want, too," she said breathlessly.

He embraced her, his heart drunkenly jumping for joy; she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her. Tifa inquired about his own ring, and he brought attention to his chest. A strong, behemoth leather necklace was holding a white gold band around his neck, laying over his lean, muscled chest. "I want it with me always."

Tifa smiled, touching the smooth, plain band that shined in the moon and star light. She took another sip of the whiskey she had placed down minutes before, thinking. "Do we have a wedding? Or do we just..." She knew Cloud wasn't one to desire all eyes on him in an emotional moment, and there were no legal forms for marriage after Meteorfall in Edge because there were other, more important things to manage in the city. Not yet, anyway.

"...Up to you. To me, it's done already. I only need you to say it is." He studied his ring, holding it up from his chest. He had it sized for his finger, but he didn't want to break it during an 'incident'...Still, tonight he'd wear it where it should be. Taking the necklace off he unlooped the ring off of it and placed it on his left ring finger, letting Tifa see it on his hand. She put her own next to his, giggling happily, and he kissed her cheek as her face came near.

"It is," Tifa said, laying her head on his shoulder. "But, everyone's going to expect us to do something later..."

Cloud laughed from the booze in his system. "We can do that." Satisfied with his night, Cloud tried to pick himself up only to stumble backwards and land flat on his back. Tifa began laughing uncontrollably as her new spouse groaned on the roof, an arm resting on his forehead.

Tifa picked up the whiskey bottle, shaking it. "How much did you drink?!" She snickered, a large smile on her face that Cloud cherished when he lifted his head to her question. "I'll be right back..." Tifa made her way to the ladder and slowly disappeared out of view.

Cloud laid there, more drunk than he'd ever been before, happy that his drunken rambling got him through the big question. He did pop the question, right? He lifted his hand up to the dark and sparkling sky, admiring the ring on his hand. They were a real family now.


	20. Training and Goodbyes

"Ungh..." Cloud's head felt like it was being pounded with hammers, despite the soft pillow under it. Why was the bed so hard? Where was all this light coming from? His stomach didn't feel well. He snapped his eyes open, then groaned again as sunlight blasted into them before tightly shut them again. _'Shouldn't have done that...What happened last night?'_ He couldn't remember how he ended up where ever he was right now. He heard and felt movement next to him, and he took a few sniffs of the air around him. Tifa was next to him. "...Tifa..."

More movement. "Cloud? You're awake, finally!" her voice whispered happily; it still hurt his ears a little.

"...What happened last night?...Are we outside?" he mumbled.

There was a long pause. "You don't remember what you did last night?" Her voice sounded concerned.

Cloud's head wasn't helping him remember at all. Why did it hurt so much? He shook his head, hiding his closed eyes with his forearm. He heard birds and people and vehicles in the distance. Tifa didn't seem worried, so he guessed they were in a safe place. "No."

"Well, you changed, and..." Her voice trailed off.

He snapped his aching head towards her as he pulled away his arm from his face, slowly opening his eyes with his hand shading them. Her head was on a pillow, and she had a blanket over her mouth, her cheeks blushing. "I...I changed...? What happened?" His face was warped with worry and dread, hoping he hadn't killed some innocent person last night. How could he not know he changed, though?

"You...changed me, too."

He grabbed her arm in a panic, feeling a new sickness in his stomach that wasn't there when he woke up this morning. _'I what?!'_ Guilt was welling up in the bottom of his gut. "Changed you...? Oh, God..." His voice was panicked despite the huskiness from his hangover.

Tifa nodded. "Yeah...See...?" She lifted her left hand up from under the covers, putting it in front of his eyes.

He squinted. "...Did I scratch you on your hand?" He sounded terribly guilty. Tifa's lips twitched. _'Why is she so calm about this?'_

"Look...Right here." Tifa brought her ring finger closer, wiggling it back and forth. He took it with his hand, squinting hard.

What? There wasn't a scratch there. It was a ring...Last night began flooding through Cloud's thudding head, all the whiskey he drank while trying to come up with the right things to say before proposing to her, the rambling bullshit that came out instead, the look on her face as she realized what he as trying to do...He let out a little sigh, a smile growing on his face as he closed his eyes. "Don't do that to me...It's not nice to tease your husband like that..." he said shyly, blushing. It sounded strange to call himself that, in a good way.

Tifa gave him a smile, then ran her hand through his hair; he moaned happily, the sensation taking the edge off of his hangover. "I couldn't help it..." She continued to rub his head, a content smile on her lips. "I think it's kind of late in the morning...Everyone is probably wondering where we are."

Cloud put his hand on Tifa's side, slowly rubbing it. "Just a few more moments...I'm not ready to go down the stairs."

It took them several minutes to navigate the fire escape, and Cloud had to slowly take his time with every step down he took. His head still pounded, sunlight burned his eyes, and he felt like he was going to need to make an offering at to the porcelain god if they didn't have any Remedies in the house. Tifa held onto him as he stumbled towards the open window, clumsily pushing himself through in a noisy fashion. Cloud thudded to the floor, groaning, as Tifa made her way inside, laughter on her lips; her lover's graceful entry into the house had much to be desired. As if on cue, the sound of little footsteps made their way towards the bedroom.

Denzel and Zeph poked their heads through the open door as Tifa came through the window completely. They had wondered where the two had been all morning. "T-Tifa? Cloud?" Denzel's voice rang out, causing Cloud to groan as he dragged himself on to the bare bed with a goofy, pained smile on his face. Denzel walked forward, his face holding a confused expression. "What were you guys doing? Nanaki said he smelled your scents going up to the roof..."

Tifa sighed as she pulled the pillows and blanket from the window, placing them back where they belonged and laying the blanket over a clothed, moaning Cloud. "We didn't mean to sleep in so late..." She twisted the ring on her finger sheepishly, a little smile growing on her face.

Zeph cocked his head. "You were up on the roof all night?" He scratched the top of his head.

Tifa blushed, her smile goofy to the children. "Y-yeah..."

Cloud groaned under the covers placed on top of him, his boots hanging off the bed. Tifa turned to him, and fiddled with the footwear; he couldn't get it off himself at the moment. Denzel moved closer to the bed, a brow raised. "...Is Cloud okay?"

The swordsman's voice was muffled from the mattress. "Too muh drink." Denzel stifled a giggle, his hero had obviously ended up like one of Tifa's regulars last night. But why? He usually doesn't drink, and when he does it's not that much, he thought.

Tifa looked at the clock on her nightstand, it was 9:45am; enough time for the both of them to shower before lunch. "I guess I'll get him a Remedy before he suffers any longer..." She looked at the confused but amused children. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

They both nodded. "Barret made us pancakes. He went out with Marlene to go to the park before he left..." Denzel put his hands behind his back. Tifa nodded, unceremoniously dropping Cloud's boots to the floor.

"Okay...I'm going to get cleaned up then, after I get that Remedy. Will you two be alright until lunch?" The boys nodded, and Tifa smiled at them before she made her way towards the door. "Try not to bother Cloud too much..."

The two boys looked at each other. The room was quiet except for Cloud's occasional groaning. His face was covered with the blanket, but his arm was stretched out towards the front of the bed and his feet dangled off the side. They looked over at Cloud with frowns on their faces. When did Cloud wear a ring? Denzel's frown deepened, the ring looked like it was silver. Shouldn't that burn his skin? He softly touched the smooth band, and Cloud grunted and flexed the hand instinctively.

Footsteps came from behind them, and Tifa reappeared with a glass of some yellow-green liquid that fizzed like soda in her hand. She moved the covers and Cloud blinked and pushed himself up slowly into a sitting position. He brought a hand to the glass while Tifa held it until she knew he had a good grip; Remedies weren't cheap. Cloud sipped the sickly sweet liquid, letting the cleansing effects wash over him. Tifa pat his back once, retrieved some clothing, and went off towards the bathroom with a smile plastered on her face.

"Ahh..." Cloud drank the Remedy quicker now, the medicine was clearing his hangover. He made no attempt to hide his disgust as the medicine washed over his tongue, it had always been too sweet to him, anyway. He opened his eyes to see Denzel and Zeph sitting on the bed with him. Putting the nearly empty glass down on his knee, he blinked at the children; they obviously had questions. He hadn't really spoken to them much last night, his marriage proposal had been taking up his mind at the time. "Mornin'...What are you guys up to?"

Zeph and Denzel looked at each other, then back at Cloud. Zeph spoke up cheerfully, while Denzel held a sympathetic look that confused Cloud. "Barret took us shopping yesterday, while you were gone!"

Cloud raised a brow as he sipped the last of the Remedy. "Oh yeah? shopping for what?" He didn't like where this might be going...

"Silver weapons! I got a silver sword, and Denzel got a rod! Can you teach us how to use them, in case a werewolf tries to attack us?" Zeph bounced excitedly. Denzel shifted where he sat uncomfortably, feeling guilty for picking out a weapon.

"...He bought you weapons." Silver weapons. Did he upset some unknown god? Cloud sighed heavily, nervously tapping his fingers on the glass he held. On the one hand, he thought, he's not the only werewolf out there, and the others probably wouldn't be friendly. On the other, he was risking some terrible pain if they accidentally touched him with the business end. He could easily handle a normal cut or stab, but silver burned like hot iron. "I think you guys are too young for this...but...if it keeps you safe."

Zeph's jade eyes lit up. "Really? Awesome!"

Denzel's response was more subdued. "Thanks, Cloud."

He nodded back at them both before looking around the room for the clock and sighing as he read the numbers. Cloud looked back at the children. "Right. After lunch, I'll give you both some basic training." He was getting hungry.

* * *

Whoosh! The blade came down neatly. Cloud nodded in approval at Zeph, who had practiced his form for the last hour. The swordsman wore his usual black leather gloves and his new ring around his neck; touching the blade or the rod would be troublesome without protection. "Good. Make sure you have a solid grasp of this basic form before we go into any kind of defensive positions." He walked over to Denzel, the boy giving the air thwacks of his rod.

"...Sorry, Denzel. I'm not as experienced with rods, so there's not a lot I can teach you except for what I learned in basic training..." Cloud went behind the boy, crouching and softly lifting the boy's arms into a better position. "You wanna hold it like this, so you can direct the center of the rod into the werewolf's mouth..."

Denzel interrupted him softly. "I think the center is only mythril..." Cloud frowned, then looked towards Zeph, the boy behind him and focused on his chop. The swordsman lifted his glove a little, then tentatively put his palm on the center of the weapon Denzel held. Nothing.

Cloud grunted. "That's stupid...Okay, you're going to have to use your ends for protection, then. Move it this way and that, hit the face." He replaced his glove and moved away from Denzel, letting him attempt the defensive move. His form was less sure, sometimes giving too much force and having to correct his footing. "Pretend there's a monster coming down at you, Denzel." The boy paused, then corrected his swing and posture to a better form in Cloud's eye. He wiped sweat from his brow, summer was finally here and it was getting hot.

He was sort of relieved Marlene decided to get a silver bracer and train with Tifa, his hands were full with the two boys. In an excited fit Zeph had almost slashed him across the arm at one point, and Denzel had cracked Cloud's knee with one of the business ends of his rod; it was still sore. The last hour had been mostly smooth however, the boys quickly learning basic stances and now swings.

"Hey, Spiky! Think I could talk to ya before I left?" Barret had appeared in the alley they trained in, from behind the corner of the building. He was smiling, but Cloud knew he as there to demand he keep the family safe. The swordsman looked back at the children, nodding.

"Keep practicing. I'll be back."

He made his way toward the large man, disappearing behind the corner Barret had come from. The gun man looked down curiously at Cloud, then pointed at the ring on his chest. "New jewelry?"

Cloud's face went red. "Um...I..." He was choking on his words, looking this way and that. Barret laughed hard at his friend's nervousness, Cloud's emotional shyness was well known among his friends.

"Tifa told me, after stammerin' like you! It's about damn time you popped the question to her. You plannin' on havin' a ceremony or anything?"

Cloud sighed, smiling. "Maybe we could have a party at the bar..."

"What, no church ceremony or nothin' like that?" Barret cocked his head and raised a brow.

The swordsman shook his head. "Well, if Tifa wants to, I'll do it." Neither of them had a need for more, really. A special day with their friends and family, and they'd both be content.

Barret chuckled once more. "Just keep me updated on that." His face became more serious, and he grabbed Cloud's free shoulder gently and brought him closer. "Now, I know you can be just as protective as I am, but...That mutt's still stalking around these parts. If I don't get'em, you gotta!"

"What if it doesn't show up again?" He knew he'd have to go out sooner or later and let himself play in the wilds, but this time further away and beyond the Wastes, where he could get out some of the pent up hunting instincts and avoid detection by the WRO. He really did enjoy hunting things, but humans weren't on the menu unless they had it coming.

Barret shook his head. "We'll find it sooner or later. See, they're gonna train a batch of dogs that won't run away from the scent of a werewolf! The first ones are gonna be near WRO buildings, but eventually they should be able to sweep the city. That werewolf I bagged will be used for that, and the science department's interested in it, too."

Cloud's thoughts went back to the dog outside the garage the other night. It knew he was in there, but the human didn't pick up on it. Talk of scientists made Cloud's skin crawl, his face showing disgust; Barret knew all too well why. "Keep a close eye on them with that. Before you know it we'd all be werewolves from some mad experiment."

Barret chuckled at the silly thought. "Yeah, I get you." He scratched the back of his head, pondering. "They say these things reproduce with bodily fluids, scratches and bites, you know? It's a big hazard for someone who does melee fighting..." He had been counting on his fingers the infection routes.

The swordsman crossed his arms. "You're worried Tifa or I are gonna get infected?"

Barret nodded, worry in his eyes. "If either of you get infected...I don't want to see you actin' like those things, eatin' children and murderin' people for fun." He gave a frown, his eyes pleading with Cloud to be safe.

Cloud decided to test him just a little, eyes closed as if in thought and a finger to his lower lip. "...What if we didn't end up like those other ones? Could it be possible to control it?"

Barret shook his head. "I really don't know if that's even possible. Well, Denzel's book said something about it, but most of 'em end up like the ones we killed...I'd hope for the best."

Cloud chuckled, relieved that Barret wasn't keen on killing him. Still, he wasn't going to tell him just yet. He'd end up alerting Zeph with his shouts, and the boy wasn't ready for that kind of revelation. Being rescued by another werewolf after his sister was devoured by one in front of him was some ironic twist. "Would you give us a chance first?" Not that he had much choice right now...

Barret let out a snort. "Either of you get infected, you better tell me. So help me if there's a hair off Marlene's head..."

Cloud put his hands up, wanting him to stop. "I haven't let them down. I'll be damned if anything happens to the kids, or Tifa."

Barret gave a friendly slap to Cloud's bicep, laughing. "I know you'll protect them, man. Listen, I better get goin'. Nanaki's waitin' in the truck, and I'm gonna say goodbye to Marlene..." He looked sad, not wanting to leave his daughter again. Cloud sympathized; his longer delivery routes and his lonesome transformations kept him from his family and he hated it. Barret grabbed the spiky haired man by the neck and roughed up his hair as he tried to release himself from the burly man's grip and failing, then finally released to laughter. "Oh yeah, keep in contact with Evan! He's got all the information on that one werewolf. You two could tag team it."

Cloud rolled his eyes. "...Right." Tomorrow. He'd talk to Evan tomorrow.

* * *

"Denzel, you think we'll ever meet a werewolf?" Zeph called out to the boy as the adults talked out of sight.

Denzel hummed to himself, swinging his rod. "What if we already did? They look like anyone else most of the time..."

The blond boy nodded, finishing another swing. "That's true. I guess that's what makes them scary, they could be anyone." He had a disgusted look form on his face. "Bastards..."

Denzel couldn't help but frown. "What if there's good ones out there, that don't eat people?"

Zeph moved his hair out of his face, his black band trying but failing to keep his long bangs away from his eyes. He looked towards Denzel and snorted. "A good werewolf? Sounds like a fairy tale." He swung again, more forcefully this time. "One of 'em took my sister." Denzel remembered the sorry tale Cloud had told him; this boy went through hell because of Valdt.

 _'One saved you, too.'_ Denzel sighed, practicing his swing. He and Zeph got along most of the time, sometimes horsing around more than Cloud and Tifa liked. Marlene got along with him alright, though he balked at playing tea time with her; Zeph thought pirates might be more fun. But when it came to werewolves and Denzel's prodding on the subject, Zeph's friendly, sad green eyes became hard and determined. "Guess we'll see..."


	21. Revelation and a Gift

Cloud cocked his head, looking at the boxed package Yuffie had asked him to pick up at a WRO facility in the city, and deliver it...to himself. He had felt a little nervous while waiting for the package in the building, hoping that there weren't any guard dogs; trained for werewolves or not, they'd know and respond. Fortunately there weren't, and he booked it out of there with the package under his arm. He wondered if one day they would store his corpse here, scientists prodding his body and doing experiments. Cloud shuddered at the thought.

The place he was visiting was somewhat sterile and grey, the walls made of metal with blue lights gleaming here and there, and the sparse population of personnel ignored the swordsman as they went about their workday as he left. He didn't come to this building often, and he hoped to not do so in the future if he could help it. Cloud pondered if the hysteria would get so bad that he'd have to quit deliveries altogether, though perhaps a visit to Reeve would help in the end, the former Shinra executive being the president of the WRO. He was just extremely hard to get a hold of lately.

It was the last package of the day, and with his luck it'd have him home by three, considering his early start this morning. The delivery boy placed the package in one of the compartments on Fenrir, and revved the bike up as he sat upon it. As he drove off he remembered that he had promised himself to confront Evan, wanting to get to the bottom of the detective's meddling; he knew Evan knew he was the werewolf. But what was stopping him from going to the WRO, or just outright telling Barret?

He groaned quietly at the thought that he would have to trust this acquaintance more than one of his older friends at the moment as he drove towards his street. Then again, he was being forced to by circumstance more than by his own whims; he didn't fancy the confrontation but he couldn't risk Evan getting the wrong idea about him, even if he did help save Vits. He'd open Yuffie's package later. He wanted to know what Evan was thinking, it being the more curious and pressing of the two.

Pulling up in front of The Mireille Detective Agency, he shut off Fenrir and took off his dark goggles and put them in the small front compartment, then slid off the black bike. The street was busier, people going this way and that in the warm afternoon. No doubt the bar was getting a good amount of business right now, he thought. He walked up to the new door and knocked, hearing a "come in" after the third wrap. He opened the door and let himself in.

Evan sat at his desk with a surprised look on his face, obviously not expecting Cloud to be the one to come to him; his surprise turned to dread as the swordsman clicked the lock to the front door. Cloud looked back towards him with a neutral mask of a face, then made his way to the chair in front of the wooden desk piled with papers. Both of them knew instinctively this was the day both had wanted and also wanted to avoid, as if it would ruin some delightful impasse.

"Evan..." he greeted. "Barret told me to come to you for information on the second werewolf." His arms were crossed and his face was still neutral as he sat on the chair, attempting to not escalate an already possibly explosive conversation.

Evan blinked; despite anticipating the discussion his face still drained of color. "...Did he?"

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. You're a detective, right? You've been on the case since the rampage the other month..."

"I have." Evan steadied himself.

Cloud leaned his hands on his knees, looking straight into Evan's eyes. "Right. So, I figure you've put everything together by now." He rubbed his collar. "With the clothing scraps..." He took out his WRO card. "With this...Thanks for returning this, by the way..." Before he could continue, Evan interrupted him.

"...You didn't go on an overnight delivery that night. V-You were seen going to the alley that night by a witness. I didn't understand why your clothing was everywhere, until that night I overheard Nanaki talking to you. You're the one who followed me from Valdt's building, and he followed your scent. And when he kidnapped Vits and you came over, you were a little slow in covering those...teeth of yours." Evan narrowed his eyes at Cloud, finally at the dreaded reveal.

Cloud leaned back, poking a canine with his gloved finger with a frown. "Didn't know you noticed..." he mumbled. Looking up and slightly to the side, he added, "Yeah, I passed Vits that night, didn't I?" Evan tensed at the child's name, the werewolf being rather casual about everything. Cloud shrugged, and looked back into his eyes. "He's not here, is he?"

"...No."

"Good." Cloud didn't need more ears than Evan's. "You probably want to know why I killed Valdt's men, don't you?" He raised a brow, and Evan nodded slowly in response, still tense. "Because, like you uncovered...They were after Yuffie. She was tazed, hard, right in front of me. Then they started talking about what they were gonna do to her." His face warped into an expression of disgust. "I wasn't going to let that go."

"I saw Yuffie running from that direction, not too long after you had passed by." Evan put a hand to his chin.

Cloud nodded. "She's not good at playing charades. Can't really talk when I'm like that."

Evan raised a brow. "...And that's why she called off the search. She knows. Tifa knows."

Another nod. "Yeah. Zeph's the only one in the house that doesn't know..." Cloud turned his head, a guilty look on his face. "I don't think he's ready for that."

The detective relaxed some, the tension diffused somewhat. "You stayed inside the house the night of the Full Moon, Right?"

"I didn't have much of a choice, after they sweeped the whole damn area."

Evan snorted. "You're the complete opposite of Valdt...You always were, but...I hope you could forgive me for being wary." 

Cloud looked back and shrugged. "I can't really blame you."

Evan grabbed some papers, reading them. He jammed them into the paper shredder next to his desk, the machine ripping them apart. "I guess the second werewolf met his end by Cloud Strife a week into the future, with help from Evan Townshend."

Cloud's face relaxed, a smile forming on his face. "I owe you. A lot."

Evan shook his head. "You came to help rescue Vits despite my work on the case. I didn't know if you had some sort of ulterior motive, since most information on werewolves is...negative to say the least." He lifted himself up, his fine silver gun hanging from its leather holster. He remembered back to the first time he met Nanaki, his violent reaction to the beast taking out his own vehicle. Despite it, the wise creature came to their rescue when Kyrie needed it the most. That memory stuck with him the most as his investigation went into the fantastic, keeping his opinions of Cloud open, even if he was worried.

Cloud lifted himself up as well, nodding. "I've heard the same." He sighed, putting a hand to his hip. "I just want to live in peace with my family. I don't know if I'll get that wish, but I'm gonna try for it at least."

The detective came from behind his desk, raising an arm. "I hope you do. I'll keep you up to date if anything seems out of place."

Cloud took his hand, his smile growing. "Call me if you need anything involving a sword..."

Evan chuckled. "Maybe, Vits has no idea how to use his blade."

The swordsman groaned. "Fine. I'm teaching Denzel and Zeph, bring him over tomorrow afternoon." He paused a moment, looking down; he then looked back up at the detective with a furrowed brow. "Make sure he knows not to swing that thing like it's a toy..."

* * *

"...So, what did Yuffie send you?" Tifa asked, hands on her hips and her head tilted to the side. Cloud had come home during a slump, and he had told her of his talk with Evan, and the strange package. She was happy that they could reform their usual relations with the detective, the man having been both a help and a pain since they met him several years ago. She mused that it must be some sort of cycle with him.

Cloud shrugged, looking at the package as he sat on the edge of the bed. He quietly opened it up, and peeked inside to some dark grey material; slipping it out of the box it seemed to be something to wear. He rolled it out, and it was some sort of oversized, robe-like thing with a flawed materia over the chest piece. Cloud frowned, unsure what to make of it. Tifa looked into the box, and noticed a piece of paper stuck inside. She took it out, and began to read with a slight imitation of Yuffie's voice.

_**Hey Furball!** _

_**After the WRO collected that freak's robe, I wanted to have a better one made for you! Don't worry, it was made in Wutai so no one in Edge is gonna get suspicious. It's got some protective padding and the fabric breathes so you won't overheat when you want to scare sweet little ninjas again. Yep! It's so you can walk around and change and stuff. Vincent mentioned it when I got to talking to him while you were busy talking with Tifa...Anyway! The materia equipped is sort of like an altered Transform materia...Okay, I cracked it on accident, but the mini spell works well enough to shrink it to about your size. I tested it a lot! Consider it a really early birthday present. Text me when you get it!** _

_**Yuffie** _

Cloud raised his brows as he stood up, the fabric trailing on the ground. "Huh." He looked down the hall, the bedroom was door open; he heard and smelled no one, the children were still out playing. He looked back at Tifa. "I want to try it." 

She blushed, but nodded in agreement that he should test it out while no one was here. Cloud began to strip, and Tifa closed the door just in case the kids came rushing into the house. Naked, he looked at the outfit, finally deciding he was supposed to slip through the oversized neck hole. He stepped into it and pulled up the fabric.

The whole thing was much too large for him, the neck hole showing a good part of his chest as he stood there, feet through the Wutaian style pant legs and hands covered by fabric. He frowned as he struggled with it, finally situating himself and focusing on the damaged materia Yuffie had placed in the chest shield. _'Please don't shrink me instead...'_

The outfit shimmered, and soon he had a very comfortable outfit that he could easily walk in. It was not too tight, not too loose, the shoulder pads accentuating his upper body and belts hanging from his torso. He tried on the hood, and it was loose and kept his spikes from being noticeable. The pant legs still brushed his feet, but if he were to wear this for its intended purpose, he wasn't going to be wearing footwear...The thought brought his eyes to Tifa, a slight blush on his face. "I...want to try it out..."

"You don't want me here?" Her face was red.

Cloud matched her blush, turning his head. "It's still embarrassing in front of you..."

Tifa smiled. "It's okay if you don't want to do that in front of me. Just tap on the door when you want me back in." She gave him a reassuring kiss on the cheek, then left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Right..." He focused, and soon a familiar heat rose up to greet him, and he grunted softly as it gleefully twisted his body under the loosening fabric, a short muzzle appearing from under the hood, his body growing to properly fit the original length of the garment as his muscles grew and ankles elongated, and lengthened arms and claws poked out of the armholes. The noise of humans outside came to his pointy ears, and he blocked it out; there would be time to hunt animals soon enough.

Cloud looked at the mirror on the bedroom door, studying himself. He certainly looked sinister enough. A tall, deadly looking monster with a lankier build than Valdt, but his concerns months ago seemed to have dissolved recently; this form was becoming a second body to him. Done investigating himself, he lightly tapped a claw on the door, and Tifa quietly came in.

"Hmm..." She walked around him, putting her hands here and there to test the fabric, feeling his furry body underneath. "It looks like it fits pretty well, I think..." Tifa thought a moment in front of Cloud, then looked up at him, his head cocked. "...You said you could understand me in the garage...Cloud, nod if you understand me." She waited for his response.

He slowly nodded after a moment, as if making sure he had heard her properly.

"Great! Can you, um, get on all fours...?" She was blushing at the request, swinging her hips shyly.

Cloud looked at her and released a snort, complying with her request. The hood got in the way of his sight, and he tried shaking it away with a grumble. Tifa moved it off his head, glancing her fingers through blond fur as she did so. She swore a hum came from his throat.

"Well, that seems to be the only issue... Can you walk in it?" Her hands were on her hips now.

He took a few tentative steps, then went a little faster with the short amount of space he had. The fabric was raised too high for him to stumble. Cloud stood up, and tried walking on two legs, using his hunched, awkward gait to pace the room. No issues, the fabric made very little noise. Was this stuff used for Wutai ninjas? Tifa came back up to him again, double-checking the outfit and then studying Cloud's face, finally seeing it properly in the light. He tried to move his head away, but she held her hands firmly on both sides of his head.

"Let me see you for once, not in a picture or in the dark..."

His face wasn't all that scary once you got used to it and he wasn't looking to kill you, Tifa decided. The snout wasn't very long, but still broad and wolfish, fangs sticking out slightly from his closed mouth. His face was a dark yellowish brown and devoid of fur, but all around were familiar blond spikes, some facing downward on the sides of his head and poking by his pointed ears on the top of his head. He was very obviously frowning at her, his familiar cerulean irises swimming in pitch black sclerae looking back into her warm, ruby eyes. His dark nose was softly sniffing the air, as if unsure of her reaction.

"You aren't that scary to me...Not anymore, anyway," she said softly, brushing her thumb on his leathery forehead. Tifa gave him a shy smile, thinking about how far they'd come in such a short while. The werewolf closed his eyes as she stood next to him, and she slowly lowered her hands.

The next thing she knew, Cloud was back to his old self, as if his bestial visage had simply deflated quickly. He opened his eyes, then blinked a few times. Looking at Tifa, he nodded his approval of the garment, ignoring her surprise. "It feels really nice. I guess the hood is the only trouble, but I can pull that back first." He unceremoniously removed himself from the outfit, wearing only the necklace with his ring dangling from it.

"It was really thoughtful of Yuffie to get this made for you...I wonder how she got the dimensions right, though?" Tifa pondered her question to herself as Cloud dressed himself, leaving his pauldron and side sash off, not needing them around the house.

"I have no idea, but this was a great gift from her...If I need to go out, I can wear this instead of ruining my clothing." He tied his boots up, a small smile on his face. Maybe he'd wear it tomorrow morning, he wanted to release that pent up desire to kill something with his claws and teeth...

Tifa nodded. "Well, I better get downstairs. I'm surprised no one's come in yet..." She paused a moment. "Are you teaching the boys today? I'm helping Marlene some..."

Cloud shook his head. "Not today, Teef. Tomorrow afternoon I'm gonna train them again, and Vits." He hoped to Gaia Vits wasn't as excitable as Zeph when it came to learning about weapons. Yesterday had been slightly painful to the warrior.

"Hm, well if you think you can handle three at a time." She turned to leave, Cloud shaking his head as he left with her.

"I know I can't, but I'll try anyway."

As they reached the bottom of the stairwell Zeph, Denzel and Marlene came in through the front door, The adults asking about the children's afternoon, and the children asking when they'd practice more. "Tomorrow afternoon, guys. Vits is joining us."

"Vits?" Zeph remembered him; he was Evan's child, the one kidnapped by Valdt that lead to the daring rescue.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. hopefully you guys are a little safer tomorrow, if just for my sake." He rubbed the back of his neck.

Denzel let out a giggle, remembering how he accidentally cracked the delivery boy in the knee yesterday. "After you train him not to, maybe."

"...Just try and not horseplay with those things."


	22. Penelope

"So, if you and Cloud are married, does that mean there'll be a baby next?" Marlene was blushing and giggling at Tifa as Cloud spoke to the boys, the children finally discussing what the two adults shyly wouldn't. The swordsman heard her question and looked back with red cheeks at the little girl as they talked in Cloud's office. After dinner they had all gone up to the office to help Zeph catch up to Denzel's grade for the next school year, and it helped them bond further with the newest member of the family. Marlene decided to mention the reason they were sporting new rings; the boys had been oblivious of it on account of their new obsession with weapons. Cool weapons take precedent over romance and cooties.

Tifa blushed, obviously flustered by the question. "I, uh, I have no idea, Sweetie!" she said in a slightly awkward voice. The two boys snickered at her response, and Cloud coughed to get their attention back to him as he showed his ring to them. Zeph tentatively touched it, and Denzel cocked his head, his blue eyes on the whitish bauble.

"What's it made out of?" the young boy asked. It looked almost like silver.

"White gold. They put other metals into the gold, and it turns it this color." Cloud knew why Denzel was asking the question. "...As to why, I think it looks better on Tifa and I than yellow gold." He shrugged, he was not a fashion expert.

"Took you long enough..." Denzel mumbled with a small smile. Cloud snorted at the boy's remark, secretly agreeing with him nonetheless; he had taken a long time to do it.

Zeph looked up at Cloud, a question on his lips. "How come you don't wear it on your finger, like Tifa?"

_'So I don't break it when I turn into nightmare fuel...'_ is what he wanted to say. "It'd feel weird under my glove..." Cloud said, rubbing his covered finger. The boy seemed satisfied with the answer, going back to the spreadsheet in front of him as he sat cross-legged on the floor.

The family helped the boy study before bed, even though the subject was boring the other two children: Math. By the time they had to go to bed, he had worked out some of his multiplication tables, and decided to go back to it tomorrow morning when his brain didn't feel like mush. Zeph was more interested in the training he'd do in the afternoon, even if it was hot and getting a little humid because of their proximity to the shore. Tifa and Cloud tucked him in. He had been growing fonder of the couple that took him in for whatever strange reason; he had only known them almost two weeks now.

He still felt his situation surreal. What was the catch? He still had his nightmares from time to time and one of the adults would come in to his room to comfort him, hinting they suffered from them sometimes, too. Tifa made sure he never missed a meal, and his scrawny body was finally putting on weight after several years of scavenging for food with his sister. Marlene and Denzel had taken to him almost immediately, the girl sassy yet supportive, the boy happy to have someone around his age to hang out with, an optimistic smile on his face many an afternoon. Cloud wasn't home all the time, but when he was he would show the boy his maps or swords and now he was teaching him how to properly use a weapon.

It made Zeph feel guilty.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Cloud was giving him an inquiring look. Tifa had already left for the bedroom after wishing him good night.

Zeph fidgeted under his covers with a sad look on his face. "I'm still not used to...this. After everything, it feels so strange, and...Fiore..." He looked to the side.

Cloud remembered 'Fiore' was the name of Zeph's sister. The same feeling of helplessness almost destroyed him two years ago; whereas Cloud hadn't had excuse in his mind before realizing it wasn't at all his fault, Zeph was but a child. "You feel guilty for having a home now..."

The child nodded.

Cloud sighed. "It's nothing to feel guilty about...We've all lost people that died too soon, under horrible circumstances. Your sister..." He shook his head, a pensive glint in his eyes. "Live your life to the fullest for her, alright? You don't have to be forgiven for something that isn't your fault."

Zeph stayed silent, a doubtful frown on his face. He reminded Cloud of himself, too much.

Rising from the bed, Cloud patted the boy's shoulder. "Just keep it in mind. And if you need us because it still hurts, just ask us to listen." He went to the door, clicking the light off. "Night, kiddo."

"Night, Cloud."

* * *

"So, you're really going to go out this morning?" Tifa had pondered if he was really going to take the early morning trip to the forests in the Junon area. She laid on her back, looking at the ceiling as she touched her ring for the thousandth time that day.

Cloud nodded, laying on his side and facing her. "I was so pent up in the garage the other night." Tifa can soothe a beast with a serene smile and gentle hands, but a beast still has killing urges that need to be acted on. Not that he minded the thought anymore...He frowned after a moment, wondering how much he had changed in a few short months. He was still him, but...There was an added wild element from the lycanthropy.

He was starting to enjoy changing, and he didn't mind what he looked like anymore. He enjoyed hunting like that, even if he only did it once so far; he had gone out when he had extra time between deliveries to rip through monsters just to take the edge off, however. He really enjoyed being able to smell emotions and especially Tifa, her scent immediately calming him or sending him into a frenzy if she was in the mood for his company. Maybe he missed old tastes that he used to enjoy, but meat tasted so much better. His only issue would be working on his cognitive abilities and being able to warp his voice box enough to speak, in time.

"Just be careful, Cloud..." She looked towards him, her eyes showing some concern.

He gave her a reassuring smile and embraced her hands as they lay on her abdomen. "I'll be fine, Teef."

* * *

After sleeping for a good part of the night, Cloud awoke around three, facing a sleeping Tifa. He gave a kiss to her forehead and gently sneaked out of bed, not wanting to possibly wake her despite her ability to sleep heavily. Searching about the dark room, he found his precious robe; he had happily texted to Yuffie that he had gotten the gift and loved it, and she responded with questions, her most pressing was if it was working as intended. He had responded to each question positively.

Cloud put it on and focused on the materia, quickly bringing it to a suitable size for his human body. Thinking a few moments, he collected a pair of socks and his boots; he'd wear them for protection on his bike. Sneaking down the hallway barefoot, he listened for the children since they were occasionally light sleepers, especially Zeph. The boy didn't enjoy sleeping all that much just yet, but he seemed not to stir tonight. Cloud made his way down the stairs, trying Denzel's footpath again with more success.

He opened up the garage door and let himself into the darkness, letting out a little sigh. Cloud focused on putting on his socks and then his boots, zipping them up when he was done. Coming up to Fenrir he put his hands on the handles and slowly moved the bike towards the garage door, quietly opening it and letting himself out. He'd give himself some space between the sleeping street and his soon to roar vehicle, closing the door and pushing Fenrir out of the side alley and onto the main street.

Cloud walked the bike, thinking about his life as a werewolf so far. At first he was horrified at the thought, the things he might possibly do to others, or what he'd become. Now, he knew his family had his back; Denzel's werewolf query had most assuredly saved him from doing the unthinkable in his home. Several months later, and Cloud felt mostly confident in his ability to control himself, though he was certain if he was in a crowd of unknown humans it wouldn't end very well at all, still.

He supposed things could be worse. He still needed to have a talk with Reeve so the WRO hunters would ease up on his territory; he could take on any other werewolf, especially with his swords, and it wouldn't risk someone else converting as well. Sighing as he reached the central plaza of Edge, Cloud sat himself on his bike, turned it on, and began his drive towards the wilds beyond Junon.

* * *

_'Finally here...'_ Cloud felt rather upbeat as he drew closer to the forest. Daybreak was still an hour or two away but the low twilight of dawn wouldn't break into these forests far out from Junon for some time. He had taken his boots off and placed his keys in a little hidden pocket in the abdomen padding; he guessed ninjas think of everything. Cloud quickly made his way into the forest after making sure Fenrir was hidden enough in the brush, then took off his hood when he was sure he was deep enough in.

He let his body change as he focused, hunching down as his digits and bones reformed and his snout picked up new smells as he completed his transformation...Deer. He salivated, then went sniffing for a trail; they were close by. He sniffed some more, smelling moss, running water, decaying leaves and the trails of other animals. It was similar to what he had smelled as a human, but magnified to the point that even subtle scents he would have missed were easy to track. He was glad he could burn off some of this savagery that hungered in his chest, and he began to stalk the underbrush for his quarry.

Off he went, looking, sniffing, hearing, feeling the ground with the pads of his strange paws. The fabric hadn't had an impact on his stealth, making him muse yet again about Wutaian ninjas as he sneaked about. A noise came to his ears, still far off; he turned towards that direction, stalking for an unknown amount of time to the beast. The smell of deer became stronger, and Cloud felt his instincts excite as his senses told him where to go.

Deeper he went, the woods becoming darker as he moved along. Not that it was an issue for him, he easily picked up hints of movement in the underbrush. Coming across a low lit clearing of brush with any light filtered by the canopy of ancient trees, he finally saw the deer. The breeze that had made it through the forest blew favorably for him; they wouldn't pick up his scent. Still, they seemed a little jittery, as if hunted often. Ignoring the thought, Cloud silently waited upon a large boulder surrounded by vegetation for a chance to kill.

Some minutes later and one of the larger deer had slowly made its way towards Cloud's position, lazily chewing and clomping about as if it owned the forest. He admired the animal a moment; its rack was still growing with a layer of velvet covering the antlers. Cloud tensed, then swiftly made contact with the beast's back. He used his velocity to knock the surprised animal onto its side, then violently shook the neck in his jaws; the force eventually snapped the creature's neck as it kicked at the werewolf.

He sat there over his prize, his mouth pooling the deer's blood as he held the neck. The buck's herd escaped into thicker woods in case anything else got any ideas about them. Gently, Cloud placed the head down and studied the beast, the blood flowing into the ground from the wound as he licked his teeth. His stomach grumbled, and he obliged it, tearing into a leg hungrily and tasting raw, gamey venison for the first time. It suited his new palette, the bloody meat sating what he couldn't during the Full Moon.

* * *

Vivid green eyes watched from a hiding spot in the clearing; she had been hunting for deer to sate her bloodlust and acquire foodstuffs for she and her mate. She was worried. Were werewolves from Junon encroaching on her territory now? City wolves were never friendly, always crafty brutes; one changed her out of spite so long ago, after all.

This one had surprised her. It had barrelled on top of a large deer, and killed the beast rather quickly, a strange trait. What's more, it seemed to be wearing something...Some werewolves wore large robes for city excursions where they needed to be one form or another, but as she sneaked closer to the preoccupied monster, it seemed a more refined clothing than just a makeshift robe. She took a whiff of the shifting wind; it was a male that smelled of dusty wastes, leather, flowers, and...humans. She cocked her head. Not human blood or flesh, just humans. How come?

Emboldened, she stalked closer, getting a better picture of this new werewolf. Spiky blond hair, brownish face. Were his eyes closed during his feeding, or just half lidded? She was fifty feet away now. Should she attack, should she go back home? A male werewolf could easily overpower her. She decided she should find her mate before confronting this intruder, hopefully without having much trouble...

The male looked up, his eyes open and looking at her. The eyes eerily glowed blue and showed no emotion except for surprise, his jaw half open as a clawed hand gripped the deer's torso. Oh no. She backed away, averting her eyes and shrinking down; hopefully the act would quell the other werewolf. Hopefully it wouldn't try to touch her, try to kill her in a tussle for territory...

* * *

_**'...Another werewolf?'**_ Cloud had thought he had heard some soft tapping upon the ground in front of him; he had looked up towards the noise to a green eyed, brown furred werewolf that was appraising him. Surprised there was another out here, he made his way towards the smaller wolf with a growl, who positioned itself in an obvious sign of submission. The beast looked back, a worried look to its eyes, and Cloud snorted. Was it afraid of him? He sniffed the air around it. Fear...She smelled like leaf litter and river rocks, and someone else...

She whined, and he looked about for any other possible werewolves, not in the mood to be taken by surprise again. Standing on his hind legs he focused, then reformed as his usual self, blood smeared on his face from his feeding. Then, he focused on the materia in his robe, and let it shrink. The female had watched, surprise in her eyes as the robe warped to suit the wearer's dimensions.

Cloud cleared his throat. "...Hey. You can understand me, right?" The werewolf in front of him cocked her head, and then retreated to the nearby underbrush. A few moments later and a young woman's face and shoulders appeared, her soft eyes still fearful of the man in front of her and long brown locks cascading down her shoulders.

* * *

"I, um...These are my woods, so..." That could have come out so much better. She was never good with confrontations, another reason she hid out in the forest; less competition to hound her.

The strange male scratched the back of his head, shocking her with his words. "Sorry. I didn't know they were occupied...I really needed to hunt."

"Um...You're a city wolf, right?" Her brows were knitted together.

He nodded. "Yeah, Edge." He sat down in front of her on the cool ground.

She blinked. "...You don't hunt there?"

"What would I hunt, exactly?" His voice became accusatory, his eyes narrowing.

She paled, not enjoying the dangerous look on his face. "W-well...Most werewolves that live in or around cities and towns hunt humans, right?" The young woman was wearing a frown.

He shook his head, a disgusted look on his face. "I live with humans, I don't eat them."

The girl smiled, and the man raised a brow as she clapped her hands together hidden in the bush. "You don't! I knew you had a weird smell!"

"Weird smell?" He sniffed his hand, not really picking up on what she meant; he smelled like him. She let out a small giggle.

"You smell like humans. Do you have a family?" She walked out from the bush, uncaring of her naked form. The brush was there in case she needed cover to escape.

The other werewolf turned beet red and covered his eyes. "Y-yeah.." He sniffed, then asked her a question back. "You smell like you're not alone."

Crouching in such a way that her legs covered her breasts and privates, the female werewolf nodded. "My um, my mate. I mean I call him that, and he seems fine with it..." It was her turn to blush.

"You're with a normal person, too?" He dared to look towards her again, finally covered in a way. His blush didn't let up, still.

"Yeah. He's been with me since...since this happened to me, when I was a lot younger." She looked down, obviously thinking of some bitter memory.

"...I see." The man sat there, looking at the ground for a time, then into the young woman's eyes. He seemed surprised to meet another werewolf like him; the feeling seemed mutual.

"...My name's Cloud."

"I'm Penelope." She twirled some of her hair around a finger.

Cloud chuckled. "That's not a very wolfish name."

"Neither is Cloud!" She rocked softly as she sat. "Wanna see my home?"

He nodded before standing up. He gave her his hand, though he again averted his eyes; this one seemed to have no shame at all. She took it, bounding towards the north, and Cloud followed; he was happy to finally meet another werewolf that wasn't some vile monstrosity.


	23. Wolf in the Mists

"So, this is where you live, huh?" Cloud came upon a clearing with the young female, her long hair fortunately covering her backside as he trailed behind her. They hadn't traveled too far through the brush, perhaps a half mile or so into the forest. The clearing brought morning light to dewy grass and a small, rough looking wooden cabin in the dark corner bordering the other side of the forest. What looked like a few fruit trees grew in the distance. This was hidden from the world? He envied the serenity of it.

Penelope looked up and back towards Cloud with a proud smile, the freckles dotting her cheeks far more noticeable in the pale light of the morning. "Yeah. We made it a long time ago, my mate and I. We got tired of living in a tent, so we worked really hard on this." 

They walked closer towards the small cabin, the walls made of dark wood and the roof made of patches of sheet metal and what seemed to be animal hides. She pointed sheepishly at the cabin. "Well, we could never get hinges, so... We used monster hide for the door. Not like we get many visitors, anyway."

He sniffed the air; he loved the smell of dew on grass. Cloud could smell the hides from the cabin, too; a werewolf out here could get a lot of animal and monster kills. "...Do you ever get visitors?"

She turned her head away. "Not really, actually..." Penelope scratched her pale arm. "You're the first in a really long time."

They came up to the cabin, a simple dirt floor meeting Cloud's eyes as he peered past the scaly monster hide door. This place could be so much more, he thought. Penelope put a finger up, as if to say 'one moment!' and disappeared into the shack. Cloud stood outside looking towards the opposite end of the clearing, hands on his hips as he patiently waited on the other werewolf to finish her business. A slight breeze blew gently through the grass and tiny orchard, and the sounds of shuffling hide came from behind him.

He thought he saw movement at the treeline, and a moment later a young man came through the clearing, his pace quick and towards Cloud and the cabin. He cocked his head, uncertain of this boy; the wind wasn't blowing the right way. He looked to be about Penelope's age or perhaps slightly older, his hair black and somehow cut short and rough, and as he got closer Cloud realized he had an eye hue similar to Tifa's if not more brown. He wore what looked to be a hide poncho and holey jeans, and a small wicker basket on his back. There was a sharp knife in his hand.

"Who're you?" the teen asked in an agitated voice, obviously alarmed at the strange male's appearance. His slightly tanned face was warped into an angry frown, and he was holding the knife in a more battle ready position, or so it seemed to the warrior. Cloud put his hands up in an attempt to diffuse the tense situation; he didn't feel like showing the youth how out of his league he really was.

"Cloud. Penelope brought me here," he stated with no emotion.

"Ithey?" Penelope's voice chimed from the cabin.

"Penelope!" The teen disappeared into the little shack, and mumbled words were exchanged between them. A minute later they reappeared in front of Cloud, Ithey's face more neutral. The girl was fully clothed in makeshift hide clothing, and Cloud was happy he finally didn't have to avert his eyes every time she faced him. "You're like Penelope, huh?"

Cloud nodded, still straight faced.

"A city wolf that doesn't wanna eat me...Guess it was bound to happen some day." His voice was dry.

"Hope I'm not disappointing you..." Cloud raised a brow. Ithey snorted as Penelope let out a sigh.

"Guys..." She was pleading with them to stop sizing each other up. Penelope looked up towards the new werewolf, her green eyes staring into Cloud's cerulean ones. He raised one of his brows, ready for whatever question she could have for him. "Cloud, when did you become a werewolf? What happened to you?"

He kicked the ground. "...Around four months ago, I was scratched by some werewolf outside Nibelheim while returning from a delivery...My kids are nosy, fortunately, and had me looking up werewolves in secret out of worry." He let out a small snicker. "I thought it was in secret, at least. Anyway, I hid away during my first transformation, and I've been slowly getting better at controlling it since." Cloud crossed his arms, still looking at the girl. "You?"

Penelope looked down. "I was twelve when I got bit, in Junon. The werewolf said it was punishment for my...drug addicted parents not paying back a loan, and they'd learn their lesson on the next Full Moon. Ithey...He tricked me into going into a locked warehouse, and he stayed next to the metal door all night, trying to talk to me. Somehow, he got through to me during the night...Eventually we knew we couldn't stay in the city any longer, and we made our way out towards the country."

Cloud raised his brows. "How long has it been since you were bit, then?"

Ithey spoke up. "Five years. We've lived like hermits since."

"Like this...?" Cloud frowned; despite their obvious support for each other they barely had anything, he was surprised they even found sheet metal.

Ithey crossed his arms and narrowed his burgundy eyes. "It's what we have. We don't have a city outside our front door with amenities, you know."

"Ithey..." Penelope pleaded.

Cloud put a finger to his chin, thinking. He'd help them out, if they wanted. "Do either of you know anything about curing hides?"

They both nodded. "I do it all the time!" Penelope said. Ithey cocked his head, wondering where this would go.

"I'll come back in a week, and if you have a batch of cured hides, I'll trade them in the city for you, and buy what you need from the shops around with the money. Does that sound good?" Hides were sometimes very much needed in the city for various purposes; civilization still hadn't completely recovered from the last four years of threats, and these two would get needed items to improve their living space.

The two looked at each other, the offer surreal after five years of isolation. "You're not gonna just pocket the cash and bolt?" Ithey asked, the teen hopeful but skeptical.

"...There's two incomes in my house, mine and my wife's. I wouldn't have a need for it." It'd be pocket change compared to some of the pay he got for his longer deliveries, or ones into dangerous areas. "So, are you going to take my offer?"

They both nodded happily, grateful that they'd have a link to the outside world, one that wouldn't be a risk to them. Penelope put her finger up in a query. "Could you bring a pen and maybe a cheap notebook with you, too? So we could make a list."

Cloud nodded. They didn't have cellphones here, obviously. "Alright. I'll be back in a week." Penelope giggled, and he frowned at her. "What?"

She pointed and motioned at her mouth while looking at him. "You might wanna clean up a little first..." 

Cloud's eyes widened and his cheeks began to burn. He had forgotten about his breakfast.

* * *

_Thwack!_ Vits practiced his form. His blade was a little bit longer than Zeph's, the boy practicing next to him to show him how it was done. Evan watched as he sat next to Cloud, backs to the stone wall of the alley. The detective looked over at the swordsman, wiping his brow with a handkerchief.

"I'm wondering if he'll even need it at this point..." Evan mumbled.

Cloud shrugged. "They're a bit young for weapons, but it's still good to know how to defend yourself."

The detective nodded. "Yeah. We can't be there for them all the time, can we?"

The swordsman shook his head. He got up, and moved towards the two boys. Denzel was to the side, swatting at a makeshift monster made of old fabric, wooden boxes and cheap, crummy pillows. Zeph and Vits stopped what they were doing as Cloud came up to them. "Okay...You guys have that down...Now we're gonna work on a slash."

He took out one of his smaller blades from his sword harness, and slowly made the motion he wanted them to do in the air in front of him. "Like this...Let it glide in front of you." He watched as the children did their best, shaking his head as they didn't quite make it, then going behind them and fixing their forms before letting them swing again. "Better. Keep at it."

Cloud went over to Denzel next, the boy practicing a jab move to the top of the target. He went behind him and softly repositioned the boy's arms slightly, telling him to jab up like that now. Denzel did, and he noticed there was a lot more force. Satisfied, Cloud went to sit next to Evan, watching all three children again.

"Have you been practicing with your gun any?" He looked down at the gun harness and then back up towards the detective's face.

Evan took his gun out, the safety on, and looked it over. "Last practice I had with it was with Valdt."

Cloud let out a small chuckle. "I don't know too much about handguns, only military rifles."

As the adults chatted about weapons the boys continued their attempts at an offensive slice, sometimes doing it just right and other times swinging much too hard. Vits sighed in frustration, unsure if he was improving or not. Zeph seemed more confident. "I don't know how you can be so gung-ho about this, Zeph," Vits said after another swipe.

"I'm not gonna let another werewolf hurt anyone around me. Or any other monsters, either." He did another swipe, trying to make the blade glide just right.

"I doubt there's gonna be any more attacks, the WRO did a sweep, didn't they?"

"Yeah, but that one got away."

Vits nodded before trying again. Neither of them knew about Cloud and Evan's agreement, but both understood the importance of defense after their imprisonment; even if Vits was only held for a couple of hours. His ordeal still terrified him.

Valdt had torn the door off their home, waking the sick boy with a start. He had hid himself on the other side of the bed, holding his small lamp as he heard strange, heavy footsteps and laughing growls grow closer, his door almost exploding from the impact with the creature that met Vits' eyes. He had immediately thrown the lamp as it came into view, and then froze, thinking his days were finally numbered. Everything went dark, and then he woke up in that underground Hell.

"I wonder why he thought Evan was another werewolf," Vits mused. He knew it wasn't the case, of course.

Zeph shrugged, then did another swipe, Cloud telling him to raise the blade just a little more on his next swing. "...Nanaki said he was mistaken, there wasn't another werewolf there."

"Just seems weird...Maybe Nanaki was wrong?" Valdt had to have known something.

The other boy stayed silent, thinking as he sliced. Who was right, then? Valdt or Nanaki? Cloud and Tifa trusted the red beast, but...What if someone there was the werewolf? Maybe it was that creepy looking guy with the long black hair...He didn't look like the one everyone was worried about, though. It had short, wispy yellow fur. So, it was probably someone with blond hair, like Valdt. He glanced at Cloud, but mentally shrugged; he wore a silver earring and was far too nice to be a bloodthirsty monster.

Cloud walked over to them while Evan trailed behind him. "Alright you guys, I think you've trained enough today. I'll teach you some more in a couple of days, so until then, keep practicing...Safely." His face was stern. He was still cringing from Vits almost stumbling his blade into his chest earlier, a shoelace tripping him.

Entering the house through the garage after saying his goodbyes to Evan and Vits, he came to Tifa as she worked the bar with Marlene. She looked up, giving him a bright smile that he returned. "Hey. You still haven't told me how your little hunt went this morning." He had told her he'd say later, trying to get cleaned up and dressed in normal clothing before one of the children noticed; Cloud hadn't wanted to play twenty questions with the children when he got back after lunch, or deal with Zeph's worrying.

He looked around, making sure no one could hear. "I'll give the details later, but...I met another one," he whispered.

Her eyes widened and her face became serious. "Another one? Was it like..." Her brows knotted together with worry.

Cloud shook his head. "No. Like me, for once."

Tifa's brows immediately went up and her mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Well, now I'm really curious." She gave a small, giddy laugh.

"I promise. We'll talk about it before bed. It's just too...active right now." Cloud looked around again, and he heard the boys' feet clomping about in the garage. Denzel and Zeph were discussing their training as they came closer.

Tifa nodded, and returned to her work, her mind lost in thought. Cloud made his way up the stairs to take a small nap after the day's excursions. He'd help Tifa in the bar afterwards, during the dinner rush.

* * *

"So..." Tifa began, resting on her back in the dark. The evening had been busy even with Cloud and the children assisting during the dinner rush, taking orders and bringing food and drinks until closing time. Denzel had kept the bar relatively clean, wiping the counter and sweeping the floor as Tifa worked on their dinner.

Zeph seemed content to bus tables as customers left, and Cloud only had to bounce one person the entire night; he easily dragged the troublemaker out the front door with not even a grunt. Marlene had stifled a giggle as she watched the swordsman wordlessly toss the man out the front door with a straight face.

"Penelope. That's her name. She lives in the forest, with her boyfriend in a badly made wood shack. She's been like that for five years," Cloud said softly, his hand propping up his head on the bed as he looked towards the far end of the room.

Tifa moved her head to look at him. "She...didn't try to attack you?"

"No. Seemed scared, actually, until we talked." He looked down at Tifa. "I told them I'd be back in a week. I'd sell their pelts, and then I'd bring them things they needed with the money."

"Hm. I see." Tifa looked back at the ceiling, tapping her fingers on the quilt. "Five years, in the woods? Do they have clothing at least?"

Cloud let out a small chuckle. "Not anything you'd wear into a town or city." Their clothing was either wrapped up hides or threadbare jeans. Penelope seemed just fine naked, only dressing so he would look her in the eyes, but if they would ever want to venture out of the woods they'd need to have more than that.

Tifa sighed, a hand to her forehead with a small smile. "I think I have some old clothing they could wear, you can bring it to them the next time you're out there. They're about our sizes, I hope?"

"Penelope is a little shorter than you if I remember right, and her boyfriend...Ithey, he's a little taller than me. But I think it should be fine...Compared to what they have right now."

"Did she say what happened to her?" Tifa had a small frown on her face, wondering how the girl had ended up like this.

Cloud told her Penelope's story, how she was bit in Junon, and how Ithey had, for some reason helped her. "They moved out into the forest afterward. I guess she was lucky she had a dedicated friend at the time, or she could have killed her family...Not that she seemed attached." Cloud became distracted by a smell after he spoke, frowning. Tifa didn't notice as she responded.

"Maybe that's why you and her-"

"Zeph?" Cloud inquired in the darkness.

He could see the boy clearly in the dark; one moment rubbing his eye and the next looking shocked. "H-How did you know it was me?"

"...I can see in the dark," came Cloud's dry reply. Tifa was sitting up in the bed, trying to see the boy.

The child took a step back. "Why...?" He only knew of one creature that could see really well in the dark...

Cloud sighed, his blue eyes disappearing momentarily as he blinked slowly. "That's...a long story." Zeph seemed unsure still, so he continued. "Do you know what Soldier was?"

Zeph shifted his eyes about as he thought, then looked back at Cloud. "You were one of those?"

"No, but...I kind of went through some of the same stuff as they did. And now I can see in the dark."

Zeph scratched his head. "Is that why you can pick up really big swords, too?"

Cloud chuckled. "Yeah."

Tifa cleared her throat. "Zeph, what did you need? Is everything okay?"

He walked up to the edge of the bed, and Cloud noticed the expression on his face had become anxious. "I...had a nightmare, so I was gonna ask for help, and...you guys were talking about werewolves." Cloud noticed the child had begun to frown.

Cloud rubbed his face, groaning. "...How much did you hear?" 

"The story about...her. Are you really gonna let one of them live?" He sounded almost angry.

_'I kind of enjoy living, too.'_ The blond haired man sighed. "If she's minding her own business and not killing people, yes. I'll let her live."

"Zeph...I don't think they're all out there to do bad things. I know what you went through was terrible, but...Let us figure this out, okay? We're just giving her a chance to prove she isn't like the others," Tifa tried to reason.

Cloud nodded. "She has a human boyfriend with her, you know."

The boy looked down, and Cloud got up from the bed and walked towards Zeph. He pat his back softly. "Are you worried about us?" he said with a slightly amused voice.

Zeph looked up and nodded. "What if she makes you like her?"

"She won't." Cloud replied. _'She'd be too late for that, anyway.'_ He ushered the child back to his room, tucking him in while Zeph talked about his nightmare to Cloud. The werewolf responded to his questions and gave gentle reassurances until Zeph finally started to succumb to sleep again. Cloud quietly left the room, shaking his head as he closed the door.

Zeph was getting better, but his hostility towards the subject of werewolves hadn't let up at all. Not that either Cloud or Tifa could blame him, of course. He only knew Valdt, and Valdt had been a depraved, vile psychopath. With that as his only measure on the shapeshifters, what other reaction would Zeph have? Cloud wondered if this new revelation would temper his feelings eventually, however; he hoped it would, because the day Zeph found out he had been living with a werewolf could possibly be devastating to him. But Valdt was one werewolf, and he and Penelope were quite the other.

Cloud took one last glance at Zeph's door. _'...I hope he finds some peace soon with his past.'_


	24. A Deal Done and a Foul Moon

Cloud wasn't sure if his talk with Zeph helped any; the boy had talked to Denzel and Marlene the morning after, both children failing to hide their excitement at the thought of another werewolf that wasn't interested in eating them. Zeph had been confused to say the least, but they never let Cloud's secret slip. It was just really cool, that was all they said.

"Cool? She could hurt Cloud and Tifa!" Zeph said in the bedroom as Cloud overheard them.

"Cloud beat up that bad werewolf without getting hurt, right?" Marlene was challenging him politely. "And he really wanted Cloud dead!"

"Yeah. He's handled worse than that before." Cloud could almost imagine the shrug Denzel was giving. "If she's friendly, then there's nothing much to worry about."

"I still don't believe it..." Zeph's voice was pouty.

Cloud made out Marlene's tapping foot. "What if Cloud or Tifa were werewolves, right now? Then what?" He cringed. _'Did you have to say that?'_

Zeph didn't respond, and Cloud made his way downstairs to help Tifa with breakfast. Even though he still had trouble cooking he figured she could use a pair of hands to butter toast or grab some fruit. Moseying down to the kitchen, he greeted her quietly as he went to make toast for the children. Cloud would let Tifa deal with the eggs, he could handle bread and a toaster. She looked over at him after checking over the scrambled mess of eggs in her pan and frowned, noticing the faraway look on his face.

"Is everything alright, Cloud?"

He unceremoniously tossed a pair of bread slices into the toaster. "Yeah." Cloud motioned his head upwards. "They were talking about Penelope."

Tifa gave him a half smile, turning to face the eggs and seasoning them. "I guess they were excited, huh?"

"Yeah. Zeph is still a little upset. Marlene asked what he'd do if either of us were...you know." Cloud busied himself with his coffee as he waited for the toast to finish, then fishing the butter out of the fridge. "He didn't really respond after that."

The toast popped out, and he quickly took it out and replaced them with another pair of fresh bread slices. Cloud buttered the hot toast as best he could without destroying it, mentally cursing as he slowly spread the hard but melting fat. Tifa began dividing the eggs on four plates that already had some bacon on it. "I don't think he'd like it at all."

Finished with his work on the toast Cloud cut the slices in half, putting them on two of the plates as he waited for the next batch. "I could imagine." He thought for a moment, brows knotting together. The warrior still had to keep up appearances. "I better have a little fruit on my plate..." He fumbled about the fridge, finding a small package of blueberries; he'd take just a handful, the rest for Tifa's baking or pancakes. _'I miss how her blueberry pancakes used to taste...'_ Sometimes Cloud would put up with fruit or bread or if he really had to, oatmeal, especially after the boy read Denzel's encyclopedia. Zeph was paranoid as they came, always waiting for a werewolf to reveal themselves to him; Cloud really couldn't blame him as it was.

After all, it took he and Tifa time to stop hating the Shinra after all that was done to them, all that was taken away from them. They could understand the fear and hatred after his short stay in a dark hell filled with other terrified children, one they had no chance of ever escaping alive until Valdt was brash enough to kidnap Vits in broad daylight. The foolish small time mobster made the mistake of assuming Evan was another werewolf when it was someone much more dangerous as an enhanced human than he had ever been as a wolf. Or, so Cloud would like to believe; he was unsure if a transformed werewolf could do a spirit attack or not.

The children began to funnel downstairs, and Marlene and Denzel were still talking about the new werewolf and wondering what she looked like. Zeph was frowning with his arms crossed before sitting at his chair. He looked back at the couple behind the counter for a few moments, then towards the window in the front of the bar. Cloud raised a brow at the behavior; the boy was obviously thinking about his conversation with the other two children. Cloud jumped slightly when the toaster spat out the toast, and the warrior turned back to butter and cut them. Tifa gave him a smile as he focused again on his task.

"Thanks for helping with breakfast."

He shrugged a 'no big deal' with a small smile as he finished and divided the toast and placing it on the last of the plates, then picked up the tray and walked towards the table as the children continued to talk.

"You never said what you'd do if Cloud and Tifa were werewolves!" Marlene said, grilling Zeph.

Zeph looked away, blushing. "...I don't know. They aren't, so what does it matter?"

A small grin grew on Denzel's face. "Just curious, since you hate werewolves so much."

Before Zeph could reply, Cloud gently landed a platter of food in front of him, then put the rest of the plates in front of the other two and finally one in front of Tifa's spot. He looked at the three, attempting to ignore the heat in his cheeks. "You guys are chatterboxes this morning," he said jokingly before returning to the galley for his and Tifa's coffee. Cloud returned, walking behind her as she brought out his plate. He sighed as he sat down; Denzel and Marlene were ready to ask him all sorts of questions about the new werewolf that excited them so.

_'I hope this isn't the flavor of the week...'_

* * *

The week had gone by quickly as Cloud occupied his time with deliveries and training the boys. Now, he was ready to take Tifa to meet Penelope and Ithey. "You ready, Teef?" Cloud looked at her as she came through the garage door. Fenrir was rumbling outside in the alley with Cloud sitting patiently on it. Tifa had insisted on coming to visit the couple halfway through the week, finding clothing she thought they could use the night before and stowing it in one of the bike's compartments. She nodded and swung herself onto the back of the vehicle, holding onto Cloud snugly. He gave one of her hands a squeeze before starting off towards the central plaza, and then towards the forests outside Junon.

The ride had been mostly smooth, and Tifa soaked in the sights since she hadn't been able to leave the city in a while. The dusty wastes became verdant plains, and then lush forests sprouted here and there as they drove on past the new land bridge that appeared after the Lifestream burst through the side of the mountains nearly five years ago. Soon after Cloud took them off the road and towards a particular patch of forest, traveling further and further north until he came upon an opening in the forest that he could fit Fenrir through.

It was a bumpy dirt path, almost hidden from the outside world. The hermit couple had shown him the path, a shortcut to their clearing. Tifa held onto Cloud tighter, the coolness of the forest chilling her. The path wasn't too terribly long, perhaps a mile or so, but the bumpiness forced Cloud to slow down. Soon enough however, they reached the end of the path and into a clearing familiar to Cloud.

Tifa looked about as they slowly pushed closer to the other side of the clearing where a little shack rested. The area was alight with warm rays from the sun, and she noticed two people making their way out of the tiny cabin in front of them as she looked ahead and over Cloud's shoulder. They seemed to be surprised, and she wondered if it was because of the appearance of the motorcycle, or that Cloud had come back as he said he would.

Cloud stopped Fenrir in front of them before disembarking; he took Tifa's hand and assisted her as she hopped off. She smoothed her shorts and looked up towards the wide eyed teens in front of her, giving them a warm smile. The boy seemed as if he was still slightly in shock while the girl beamed and waved her hand. Tifa walked over to them, waving back. "Hi! I'm Tifa."

The girl took a few steps forward, her strange hide garb swaying with her steps. "Hi! I'm Penelope." She looked back at the teen male, pointing at him, then looked towards Tifa again. "That's Ithey. He's just surprised Cloud really came!"

"...And that he brought someone." Ithey's voice was anxious.

Penelope sighed. "She's obviously his mate!"

_'...Mate? Oh. I guess that makes sense.'_ Tifa rubbed her ring. Snapping out of her thoughts she went back to Fenrir, opening a compartment as Cloud went up to the two.

"I told you I'd be back in a week. Do you have the hides?" Cloud was mildly amused by Ithey's surprise, and the teen folded his arms defensively.

"Of course." Ithey went back into the shack, fumbling about with something in the dark. Cloud hummed to himself, then remembered they had asked for a notebook and pen. He walked over to Penelope, and produced the items out of his pocket: a small travel notebook and a blue ink pen.

"You asked for this..."

Penelope took them gleefully. "Thank you!" She looked down at the items, then blushed. "Um, Ithey'll have to write it out...I...Haven't had much practice since..."

Cloud gently took the pen and notebook. "Do you want me to write your list?"

Penelope nodded enthusiastically, and Cloud jotted down her list of items: scissors, tools, nails, a bucket, needles and thread..."If the money covers it, that is...Maybe some clothing, too."

"You won't have to worry about the clothing," Cloud replied as he finished jotting down her list. She cocked her head, unsure why not. "Tifa brought some of our old clothing. Hopefully it fits."

Tifa came over as he said it, a pile of folded clothing in her arms. "Do you wanna try some of this on?" she chimed to the girl. Penelope gasped happily, then stripped her clothing off. Cloud averted his eyes as his face turned beet red. Tifa blushed as well, hiding her face in the clothing she held. "Y-You don't have to do that here!"

"Penelope, you're supposed to do that in the cabin..." Ithey returned, holding a pile of hides from various beasts, many obviously from monsters and not just deer. Penelope put a hand to her cheek, and silently hid herself in the shack. Ithey sighed, then looked towards Cloud as he focused on the teen in front of him. "Here's the hides." Cloud took them with a nod, then made his way towards Fenrir to place the goods in a side compartment.

Tifa moved to the side of the entrance to the shack, Penelope's arm reaching for a piece of clothing on top of the pile Tifa held. Snatching it, the item slowly went into the darkness of the cabin. "I hope it fits!" Tifa said into the darkness as she leaned on the wall. Ithey observed the pile, a hopeful look on his face. Tifa looked up at the teen. "There's some here for you, too."

Ithey looked at the pile, then he entered the shack. He appeared a few moments later with a makeshift chair made of a split log. "Here...You can put them on here." Tifa nodded in thanks, and placed the clothing on the log before dividing it into two piles.

She pointed at one pile. "This is the men's clothing!"

Penelope and Ithey tried out the various pieces, some too baggy because of the muscle lacking on Ithey, or too long, the Penelope's arms and legs not as long as Tifa's. Still, the two seemed happy with the piles of clothing they had been given, accepting the clothing graciously. Penelope delighted in a casual red dress, and Ithey took to a new pair of black jeans and a baggy white shirt; neither thought they'd feel clean, intact clothing again.

"This is so nice! I don't know how we could repay you for this," Penelope beamed. Cloud and Tifa both shook their heads, neither needing repayment from their new friends, especially considering their situation.

"It's fine, really!" Tifa replied back. Cloud was satisfied with the day's interaction. He wanted to get home before Evan dropped the children off in the evening; they had gone over to play with Vits and Natsumi, the girl they used to call Moogle Girl because of her doll. The swordsman walked towards Fenrir, casually sitting on its seat and putting the keys into the ignition.

He looked up at the couple, nodding. "I'll be back in a few days to drop off the supplies. I have a route to Junon coming up, so I'll drop it off around then." He turned on the bike, patiently waiting for Tifa to finish her goodbyes.

"I hope we get to meet you again, Tifa!" Penelope said. Ithey nodded stoically, a thin smile on his lips.

"Same! Take care, you two!" Tifa waved, then hopped onto Cloud's bike. After a final wave from both parties, they made their way out of the clearing, the sound of the motorcycle fading into the forest.

Penelope and Ithey watched as they disappeared into the dark forest, then turned to each other. They both had goofy smiles on their face, uncharacteristic of Ithey, but usual for the werewolf.

"This is turning out better than I thought it would," Ithey mused.

Penelope laughed. "You're always such a pessimist!" She shoved his shoulder playfully.

He shook his head, still giving her a smile. "I prefer being called a realist." He grabbed her shoulders, giving her a firm squeeze before heading into the cabin with her.

* * *

"So how did it go?!" Marlene was enthusiastic as always. The two boys held opposing expressions; Zeph stern and worried, Denzel's excited as the girl.

Tifa looked over at them as she began preparation for dinner. "It went great! They were really happy to get some new clothing."

Denzel came forward, hands behind his back. "What was she like?"

"She's very sweet, and just a little funny," Tifa responded while taking out a glass container filled with marinated chicken. "But she hasn't lived around people in a long time, so she can't help being a little awkward."

"You weren't hurt?" Zeph asked, his eyes full of worry. Tifa shook her head, smiling.

"We were fine, Zeph. She's not like... _him_. And please keep this quiet, she's trusting us, too." She hoped talk of Penelope would eventually ease the boy's fears, though his hatred was understandable; but they brought him home regardless of that. Zeph looked thoughtful for a moment, then went towards the garage where the weapons were stored.

"Hey, Zeph..." Cloud was checking over Fenrir, his hands blackened with exhaust dirt and oil. He looked up before the child had opened the door, having heard his footsteps before he appeared. "Everything okay?"

"I guess..." He kicked the ground, then looked towards the wooden training swords kept on a shelf; when they weren't practicing with the real thing to get a feel for the weight, they used these to practice form after Cloud decided he didn't want the boys training with the real thing when he wasn't around. He grabbed one, then went towards his favorite corner of the garage to practice his form and technique.

Cloud grunted to the response, wiping his hands with a dirty towel while he stood over the bike, looking towards Zeph as he swung stiffly. He frowned, the child's form still needed work; his swipes were too passionate and not precise enough and his footwork not where it should be. He quietly went up to the shelf with the training swords and grabbed one, then came to stand in front of Zeph. He deftly disarmed the boy, the wooden blade clattering onto the concrete.

"You need to make sure you aren't giving your opponent a chance to disarm you," he said simply, looking down at the boy.

Zeph went to pick up his weapon, and Cloud gently tapped him with his wood sword. "You died," he said matter-of-factly.

The boy gave him a deep frown. Cloud looked back at him, patiently waiting for his next move. Zeph collected his sword, then put his feet into the position Cloud had taught him, sword in hand. Cloud cocked his head, brow raised. Was he waiting on him to make a move? The swordsman went to tap the blade, and Zeph attempted to knock it back; Cloud moved his sword and tapped his chest softly. "Dead again," he said simply.

Zeph was visibly frustrated now. He sighed harshly, his green eyes looking angrily into Cloud's serene blue ones. He went to strike, and Cloud effortlessly moved out of the way and went to strike the boy's back, only to be knocked away before he could tap him. Still, he took the opening, disarming Zeph and softly poking his chest. The boy looked enraged. "That was better," Cloud said, brows raised.

The child was breathing heavily, looking towards the floor. How was he supposed to protect himself, let alone others? It was all so much for him. Did his training mean anything? Cloud picked up Zeph's sword, giving it to him. He slapped it away from him, frustrated. The blond swordsman nodded.

"Fighting isn't as easy as it looks, is it? It takes a lot of practice. You want to be able to defend yourself, and that's great, but it's going to take a long time before you're good at it." Cloud smiled softly, giving him a nod. "I wasn't expecting you to block me, so...good job."

Zeph understood he was being complimented, and slowly grabbed the hilt of the wooden sword offered. "I'm gonna do it," he said. He was angry, but he was also determined.

Cloud chuckled. "If you insist. Let's try again."

The swordsman taught the boy until almost dinner. Zeph had had good and bad moments, and Cloud urged him on throughout their session. They sat on the cool floor, the exercise was nothing to the warrior while Zeph had to catch his breath. Cloud had a curious expression on his face as he appraised the child that had been with them less than a month. He was going to have to calm down at some point, and he was going to learn the truth eventually. Cloud wasn't looking forward to that day, just like he wasn't looking forward to the day he was going to have to give Denzel the talk about his role in the Sector Seven plate collapse.

"You really want to protect others, don't you?" Cloud asked.

Zeph nodded, still catching his breath.

"Heh...Just wait until you have to go against a real monster. A werewolf would be worse, because if it hits you right, you're going to turn into one, too. So you really need to work on dodging." He absentmindedly rubbed his left forearm.

"...How come Penelope isn't like Valdt?" Zeph still had a difficult time with the concept of a werewolf not looking to torment and eat him.

"I guess...it's because she had someone looking after her. Someone to support her." He looked at the blond haired boy, scratching the back of his head. It's what he honestly believed. _'Maybe we need close human interaction to stay human...Something to anchor us.'_

Before Zeph could respond, Tifa popped her head in, alerting the two that it was time for dinner.

* * *

Over the course of two weeks, Cloud had returned to the couple in the woods, giving them the items they asked for, and a burner cellphone Tifa had set up in case there was a need to contact one party or the other. They had been absolutely ecstatic at the arrival of the long needed supplies, and Ithey had some idea about the usage of cell phones.

He had gone back to his usual deliveries, staying close to the city, and kept close contact with Yuffie in case there were to be any sweeps outside the cities; apparently since Evan fed that information that Cloud had killed the last known werewolf in the area the Edge searches were slowed down.

He had made sure to ask his friend to keep any sweeps away from the forests outside Junon. Fortunately there hadn't been any planned for anything outside Junon or Under Junon. He explained his concerns, Yuffie intrigued by the news of a new werewolf. 

"Have you told Reeve yet, or do I have to do it?" she chided. "I know we've both been really busy with WRO crap but you know he'll make time for you if he's got some."

Cloud chuckled. "No. I've been kind of distracted lately." And a general dislike of broaching the subject didn't help. 

"Distraction is gonna get you killed, Spike. If you don't in a couple of days I'll try and get a hold of him for you."

"...I'll keep it in mind."

He had promised Tifa he would be careful, thinking to himself naked in the Midgar Wastes as he watched the moon above him; the landscape looked almost alien in the bright and eerie light that shone upon the dead rocks and dust. His skin was as warm as the July air, the small cave he hid Fenrir in slightly cooler. Cloud sniffled, rubbing his nose with a finger as he looked over the moonlight filled terrain. Something caught his eye as he felt the first tugs and heat in his chest.

Several people were slowly walking the Wastes, as if they were patrolling the area. One had a dog, the hound sniffing the ground and slowly making its way towards Cloud's position. Was this the WRO, was that one of their tracking dogs? He took a harder look at the people trundling closer to him; they were armed with guns, if he was seeing them right. Cloud was on the verge of panic at this point, with no possible way of escaping to another location, it was too late. They were still a ways away from him, but they would add difficulty to what he hoped would have been a regular night of exploring and killing monsters foolish enough to face him.

The heat built up in his chest, and he knew it was time. Cloud positioned his body to be on all fours, then let it take him. He hoped the sounds of cracking bones and growing flesh wouldn't alert the dog's ears. He slowly opened his eyes as he finished transforming, flexing his claws one hand at a time and stretching his deadly jaws. The werewolf's ears perked up, and he heard the baying howl of a dog; he mentally cursed and made his way to someplace other than where he was now as quickly and silently as he could. This wasn't the place to fight if there was silver involved. _**'I need to leave...they can't find me.'**_

* * *

"Hey, he caught something!" came the voice of one of the hunters. He made his way towards the hound's position, his two friends making their way behind him. They weren't wearing their usual uniforms; instead they had acquired some kevlar from the local armory and their usual weapons. This was a personal mission to them.

Letting the hound chase in front of them, they jogged behind it as it charged up an incline, sniffing and then making a right turn as the trail grew stronger. One of the men paused, looking about as he noticed claw marks scratching the dusty, hard earth in the moonlight. He swallowed hard, he had never met this kind of monster before, one that could not just kill them but turn them into monsters too. His friend of course insisted on the search despite last month's sweep covering the area and bagging a single monster; Merle wanted a thrill. At least, that's what he thought Merle wanted; the hunter had been sullen since last month.

Onward they continued, the track taking them this way and that in the dusty environment. The three could tell their quarry knew it was being hunted, and despite the possibility of an ambush they continued on. Several times they had thought they may have discovered or cornered the werewolf, putting them all on edge, but it was merely shadows or a small stray monster to be had that they easily dispatched. As they continued on into the night the dog paused and then growled as it trotted towards a barren rock face, the other side obscured to the foolhardy hunters. It charged in snarling, then turned the corner to whatever awaited it; more snarls and barks came from the dog as the three men chased close behind, ready to corner their quarry

The dog's bloodied corpse smashed into Merle's face, knocking him out as blood and entrails splattered out. His friends shouted out in surprise and horror, and one of them went to his friend's aid, trying to wake him with firm shakes to his shoulders after he moved the hound's body off of him with a sickening squelch. The other watched their quarry, a werewolf, approaching them quickly with a roar. Taking aim, the hunter shot just as the beast knocked the gun out of his hands; the bullet aimed for its chest grazed the flesh of its right arm instead. It screeched in pain, sending shivers down the spines of the two still conscious hunters. 

He ducked down as the monster wildly attempted to backhand him, and fumbled about for his gun with shaky hands. The werewolf snarled at him between pants, but the hunter was too busy retreating and recovering his gun to notice whatever else it was doing. Finally he stood up straight and aimed his gun again, but froze as two glowing blue eyes locked onto his own. They were hostile, desperate, and afraid. It was the last thing he saw before the force of its arm slammed into him, smashing him into the rock wall.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck..." The second hunter fumbled with his rifle as the werewolf smashed his friend against the rock facing hard enough to crack the stone. The beast was panting and bleeding from its arm while growling at him. The malevolent, glowing blue eyes were daring him to shoot as it creeped over on its hind legs, hunched slightly and towering over the final hunter as it approached. He noticed a glimmer of metal on its chest, almost completely covered in spiky tufts of fur as it came ever closer. It caught his eye just for a moment, and he damned himself for being distracted by it.

He quickly aimed for the monster's chest as its shadow was cast over him, and the beast dodged too slow; again it evaded immediate death, but this bullet ripped and passed through the flesh on the side of its abdomen as it backhanded the man hard while howling in pain. He flew to the ground some feet away with a sickening thud, his arm dislocated. The hunter moved his head a little, getting a final look at the injured werewolf as it stared at him before passing out.

The beast stumbled on its hind legs, panting heavily and holding its side, small tendrils of black smoke dispersing from both wounds with dripping, black blood. The hunters around him did not stir, their arena stinking of blood and burning flesh to the werewolf. The Midgar Ruins loomed in the distance as the moon eerily illuminated the dead landscape.


	25. Fears

_**'Just run...Just run...Recover...'**_ Cloud stumbled on his hind legs, warring with a vengeful side that wanted to mutilate the hunters and make absolutely certain they were dead. The only reason he did not cave into those depraved desires was because of the agony his body was in; what sick, fleeting enjoyment he'd get out of the petty actions could ruin his escape if they had alerted anyone as it was. He may have already killed them, with the amount of force he used to stop them. One was slammed into the rocks hard enough to break bones, the other one slapped hard enough into the hardened earth to leave an imprint. The final one he had only thrown the dead dog at, and he was the one most likely still alive.

Staggering, he left the area with jagged breaths huffing from his maul. He wondered if he would die out here before he made it back to the cave. He tentatively tried to walk on all fours, but pain shot through his injured arm and chest wound, making him snarl and wince. Back to his hind feet he continued his slow travel, sniffing his way back while limping and bleeding. It felt like an eternity, a painful walk through a lifeless land of dust and stone that seemed to never end. The dust stuck to his tongue as he panted, drying it and causing him to sneeze once in a while. It hurt the injury to his abdomen.

Occasionally he would turn around, watching for anyone possibly following him, or sniffing the wind as it came from his former position. Were they alone, or were they part of a sweep Yuffie didn't hear about? Cloud shakily kicked at the dirt, trying to cover a dark splotch of blood moistening the dead soil. Will he have enough time to escape in the morning? Would they notice the blood trail too soon for him to leave?

After what felt like hours, Cloud finally made it back to his small hideout, annoyed that this special spot would no longer be safe for the foreseeable future. He collapsed as he limped into the cave, breathing heavily as fresh blood seeped from his injuries. Curling up next to Fenrir he watched the entrance in case of any trouble; willing himself to stay up no matter how badly he wanted to sleep.

As the night pressed on, he would think he had heard or seen something in the distance, lifting his head to observe. What to do, if he was followed? Kill the hunter? Maybe it would be best if he did. Is that what he wanted to do? He shook his head of the thoughts. Cloud looked over his injuries, their smoking ceased. He licked at the arm injury, tasting his blood and burnt flesh; silver on skin was horrible enough, but entering his body it was a new level of excruciating pain that burned like acid.

The more worrisome injury was in his abdomen; it had ceased smoking but still seeped blood and a tiny piece of flesh here and there. He had certainly gone through worse attacks on his torso in his life, but it wasn't closing as fast as it should be. Cloud worried if it had hit one of his organs, not merely grazed them; if the shot had been closer to the center of his torso the bullet probably would have caused much more damage. _**'Wait until morning...'**_

* * *

"Unh..." The hunter stirred, wiping his face of some sticky fluid. Merle was confused, he did not remembering what happened; what coated his face, where were his friends? He sat up and tasted something coppery on his lips and he finally realized what was smeared on his face, making him panic. Merle looked around quickly, soon noticing the disemboweled dog laying to his side, then looking to his other side he heard soft groans from a dark mass that startled him.

Crawling over, he cautiously touched the groaning mass. It was one of his friends, and his arm was in a strange position that sent a chill down Merle's spine. He remembered...They were chasing after a werewolf, and he came to meet the tracking dog as it rounded the corner, it must have flung the dog's body at him and knocked him out.

It looked like his friends hadn't been as fortunate as he had been. Merle picked himself up, planning on assisting his friend after he looked for the other hunter. He didn't have far to go, the remains of his comrade smashed into the rock face, lifeless. Touching the neck gingerly to make sure he was dead and not just severely injured, he sighed sadly. _'If I hadn't done this hunting expedition...'_ Merle turned his attention to the one who killed his friend; the werewolf. It was still out there.

He went back to his still living friend, the blond haired man moving around more and grunting. Merle took out his WRO communicator, but paused a moment; he was in big trouble for using supplies and armor to go on his little hunt. Maybe he thought it would be easier, after all, Barret had easily killed that one on the beach with a single silver bullet. This one had proven more intelligent, as if it had planned the ambush. It must have, why would something like that not plan ahead? He looked up, the sky was starting to lighten with hues of pink as the sun came ever closer to the horizon. How long had he been out?

"WRO, this is 041 Merle. Requesting assistance."

A crackle from the other side. Roger, 041 Merle. Situation?"

Merle sighed, his black eyes looking about the area. What was that on the ground? "Werewolf attack. One death, two survivors including me. Need medical attention for second survivor."

There was a pause. "Werewolf status?"

"Escaped." Sounded silly considering he wasn't dead. He walked over to a black splotch on the ground.

The voice sounded mildly surprised. "Escaped? Roger. I have a medical contingency coming to your location."

"Thanks. I'll be waiting." Merle put the communicator back, studying the dark mark. He looked up and noticed that it was a trail that lead into the wastes, back the way they had come from. He followed the trail for a short time, the path moving this way and that. How badly was it injured? His friends must have hit it good. Merle looked back and decided it was best to stay next to his still living friend instead of looking for a rematch, even if it was severely injured.

"...Merle..." The hunter struggled on the ground, his shoulder burning. Merle approached him and put a gloved hand on his friend's good shoulder. The man lifted his head, deep indigo eyes looking up at Merle; his nose was busted and covered in clotting and fresh blood, his eyes bloodshot. "Did it get away?"

Merle sighed heavily and nodded. "Yeah, Ichi. Got Harry, too." He felt guilty.

Ichi nodded, groaning in pain when he moved his dislocated arm. He saw that last night. "Wonder why it didn't finish the job..."

"Probably in too much pain. Looks like one of you guys shot it."

Ichi gave a humorless laugh. "We both did. I shot it in the torso... I don't remember what happened afterwards."

Merle nodded, then looked towards the dark trail. "We'll follow its blood trail after we get you some help." Maybe they'll find a body, he mused. He hoped.

* * *

Cloud groaned as the pain from his injuries woke him up. He winced and then blinked as he looked at the cave's entrance. The sky was lighter, and he thought he heard the distant sound of a vehicle. _'Fell asleep after all...'_ He grunted as he picked himself up, recovering his clothing and attempting to cover himself; his injuries still weeped blood, but he had to leave the area before someone showed up. Desperation built as the pain hindered his dressing. He hissed as the fabric of his shirt touched the raw flesh of his wounds.

Finally dressed after some difficulty he looked outside the cave, noticing what appeared to be a helicopter in the distance; it was about where he left those hunters...Cloud pushed the thoughts away and went back to retrieve Fenrir, and he rolled the bike out of the cave with some difficulty before starting it up. He needed to get home, get to Tifa...

Cloud took a final look around the area, one of his hands over his largest injury as he began to accelerate his bike towards home. This wouldn't do at all, he thought. He pushed closer towards the road into Edge, trying to focus on his driving and not his injuries or the dizzy feeling welling in his head. Did some silver remain in his body, eating away at him? It hurt like hell still, and the injuries had barely healed at all; it worried him. Maybe he'd die after all, he thought.

He sped closer to the small metropolis, damning himself. _'I should have stayed at home one more month...'_ Just one more, but he felt he had gotten greedy. Would it have been so bad to ask Penelope if he could have stayed in her woods for the night? Maybe he didn't want to intrude on her territory. Still, it wouldn't have hurt to ask. But the Wastes should have been safe! 

As he entered the city, his mind returned to the three hunters. What were they doing out there, if the WRO didn't send them? Yuffie wouldn't lie to him about that of all things. Where his materia was, sure, but nothing life threatening. Were they just out there on their own? Did he kill them? He had to do what he had to do, self preservation was a powerful urge. Cloud sighed, trying not to think about them yet again. He took a turn off the nearly empty central plaza towards the bar, then deftly moved the bike into the garage as the door opened up.

Cloud shut off the bike while the door churned closed behind him. He was breathing heavily and holding onto the handlebars as he struggled to remain upright as his morning adrenaline wore off. He sat there for a minute, focusing on clearing his now fuzzy vision, the dark room blurring in and out. Out of confidence or desperation or both, he took a breath and swung himself off the bike, stumbling to the ground in a heap as he did so. Cloud gasped, holding the side of his abdomen as a sharp pain traveled through it. He let out a harsh cough and tasted a little blood. If he didn't get help soon...

His senses were dulled and he couldn't tell if any of the others were awake. Regardless he decided to crawl towards the door, slowly making progress and growling whenever the pain shot through the injury; he hoped if the children were in the bar, they didn't hear him. As Cloud approached the concrete step that lead to the door it quietly opened, the light burning his eyes and causing him to wince. He heard a gasp.

"...Cloud? What's wrong?" It was Tifa. Her strong arms lifted him up gently and he found his footing as he leaned into her, panting. He felt her support his weight, her body almost pressing onto his wound.

"I...Hunters...Silver..." he whispered into her ear. His eyes were to the ground, focusing on his steps as she slowly took him upstairs. He felt her nod to his answer, Tifa's hair rubbing softly on his face.

They took another step. "Almost there, Cloud..." He felt her lurch him toward the office, the bed closer by then the bedroom. He slowly took his steps, occasionally gasping or letting out a soft growl if the pain spiked. Tifa stopped, and he listened to her steady breaths. "Okay, Cloud...this might hurt a bit. I'm going to put you on the bed."

He nodded and braced himself as she positioned him to sit on the bed, then lay down. He panted hard, and the pain made him cry out once. Finally he was laying down, the pain easing a little as he laid still. Tifa tugged his shirt zipper, revealing the strange injury of blackened flesh and sticky red blood. Tifa looked over him, her face full of concern. She gently rubbed his head, the sensation relaxing him a little after his ordeal. He weakly grabbed her forearm with a worried look on his face that matched her own, though she spoke up before he could whimper words to her.

"I'm going to go get some materia, okay?" She dipped down and kissed his forehead to give him some form of reassurance that everything would be alright, then left for the materia box left in the garage. Tifa swiftly made her way down the stairs, then turned on the light as she passed through the open door, looking about. The box was hidden behind a toolbox, and some cardboard boxes filled with papers and the like; someplace the children wouldn't immediately look for the potentially dangerous baubles.

Moving a box she uncovered the trove, opening the chest and reveling silently at the rainbow light hidden inside. Tifa tentatively touched a piece here and there, identifying the spell contained within the orb by a whisper that called out in her ears. Fire, Ice, Esuna...She took that one just in case. A few more moments of searching and she finally came across one of the more powerful Cure materias not given to Yuffie after Meteorfall.

Tifa closed the box and quickly hid it away again, then exited the garage, double stepping her way up the stairs; she felt she had taken long enough already. As she reached the top of the stairs she heard the voices of the children, all three coming into view as she entered the office. Cloud took in labored breaths on the bed, and his face was paler than when she had left. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Cloud, what happened?" Marlene didn't get a response.

"Guys..." The children turned to Tifa, the woman holding a green, glowing orb in either hand. "Cloud had a fight last night while making his overnight delivery. I need to heal him so he can tell me everything." She placed one of the orbs on the wooden desk, then held the other in her right hand, palm downward.

"Oh. I almost forgot we had materia..." Denzel said in an off hand manner. Zeph looked back at him and blinked.

"Materia...I've never seen anyone use it before." He looked up at Tifa, watching her.

Tifa took a deep breath and focused on the knowledge contained within the slightly elastic orb. It had been so long since she used materia, not since that day they came back to Midgar to help the survivors...Her eyes focused on her target, and Cloud looked back at her with a pained expression on his face. Then it happened, the mental "snap" of the materia being triggered went through her mind, and Cloud sighed noisily as the injury to his arm and abdomen closed some with a gentle green glow. The most grievous parts of the wound had knitted up, and the bleeding had mostly ceased.

Tifa put her hands on her knees, the mental fatigue from using such a spell after a long time hitting her immediately. "S-sorry...It's a bit too much right now. I'll go out and purchase some potions, but...I don't know how much it'll help. I think you're stuck in bed until you get better, Cloud." Tifa gave him a sympathetic look, knowing how he hated to be bed ridden. He grunted in response, nodding that he understood. Tifa came over and rubbed his head affectionately once more for a few moments before turning to exit, ushering the children out as well.

"Cloud needs to rest."

The next day was much the same for Cloud, though the pain had become more manageable with Tifa and Marlene's care. The two boys would come in on occasion to play a card game with the warrior, keeping him company throughout the day or sending up a meal. He would occasionally shuffle out of bed to use the bathroom, and Tifa would gently scold him for not asking for her help to get to one room or the other. He would just shake his head and say that he didn't want to be any more of a burden than he already was at this point. Besides, she had healed the worst of it, hadn't she?

While his injuries were healing the blackened skin on his arm was starting to flake off, the injury the consistency of a burn. Tifa had bandaged the arm, soaking the fabric in a potion in a bid to dull the pain of the raw, pink flesh. She would have used the materia again, but Cloud didn't want her to possibly deal with a headache while she worked the bar. Tifa told him she would start using the bauble more often to acclimate to their use again.

His abdomen was slower to heal. The burns as the silver grazed his insides slowed down what should be rapidly healing. Cloud was grateful it wasn't infected, but even with both sides properly dressed the pain would make him wonder. The second night he was stuck in the office bed Tifa had come to replace his dressings after sending the children to bed, a worried look on her face as she began work on the entry hole.

Cloud frowned. "What's wrong, Teef?"

She sighed as she worked on cleaning the injury and dabbing it with a strong potion, the hole knitted together more strongly as the fluid did its work. " _They have those dogs now,_ " she said lowly in Nibelese. Zeph could still be up, and she didn't want to take the chance that he would overhear them.

He snorted, then grunted as the action shot pain through his injury. " _Tell me something I don't know..._ " Cloud had already told her the whole story, some of it confirmed in a radio news bulletin. He hadn't felt much knowing he had killed one of the hunters, but he certainly wasn't proud of it, either. He either fought back or he died; he was already in poor shape as it was because of them.

" _No, I mean...They're searching around the city again, now during the day and night. I saw a hunter this morning outside the garage's door. I guess they trailed your scent..._ " she whispered.

He groaned, hand to his face. Yuffie had texted him, telling him to hang tight for now, and that she'd try and get a hold of Reeve; the man had been exceedingly busy as of late with either paperwork on the oil fields Barret discovered or attempting to bring back some form of normalcy to the world after the Deepground incident. Junon was still not quite back to business as usual. " _Damn._ "

" _I don't know if they knew why or not, they didn't enter the bar._ "

Tifa finished with the entry hole, then helped him shift to his back side. This one had a little more drainage, and she had put a towel down so it wouldn't soak into the mattress. She slowly peeled it off, tossing the dirtied bandages into the trashcan. " _It's just another thing to get through, I guess. We've made it this far, right?_ "

" _...Yeah. It's just...I guess I didn't think this through._ " He bit his lip as the potion stung his deep wound, Tifa dousing it slowly.

" _Just let me be with you from now on..._ " Tifa whispered. Cloud looked back, his eye finding hers. " _If you need to go out...I don't want you alone, Cloud._ "

He looked towards the wall as she begun packing bandages. " _It was just a freak incident, Teef._ "

" _It almost killed you, too,_ " she retorted. " _Silver...It's like acid and fire,_ " Tifa said in a barely audible whisper, taping gauze on her work. Cloud slowly flipped back over, sighing as he came to rest his bare back on the mattress again. Tifa slowly went over his legs and then laid between him and the wall, snuggling his side with her head on his shoulder. They laid there like that in silence for a long while before Cloud spoke up in a whisper.

"You really do put up with too much..." Cloud looked over at Tifa; she had fallen asleep. He decided that perhaps he should too, and held her hand before drifting off to sleep with her.

* * *

"Hey Cloud, are you gonna come with us to get some ice cream?" Zeph asked the swordsman as the boy sat on the bed. It had been about a week since the ill fated night when Cloud got to enjoy silver through his body for the first time. He looked over at the boy, a suspicious glint to his green eyes as he looked over at Cloud. He was sitting at his desk, leaning into the chair.

"Sorry, Zeph...Not today. I'm still recovering." That was a lie. Tifa and Marlene had healed him up completely several days ago, the only thing left were slowly disappearing white scars. Cloud felt bad about missing some family time with the children, but he promised to make it up to them when everything calmed down. Right now it was far too dangerous. What was taking Yuffie so long? Was Reeve that swamped?

The boy sighed. "What hurt you so bad, anyway? It must have been fast, like you."

_'Just dumb luck on the hunters' part,'_ Cloud thought. "...Magic."

"Oh." Well, that made sense. The wounds had looked like burns to Zeph. "Tifa used magic on you, to heal you...Are you gonna show us how to use it?" Zeph sounded hopeful, excited even.

Cloud gawked. "What? No! Not until you're much older." He ran a hand through his hair, then sighed. "It takes a lot of energy, and you have to train your mind. So, if you want me to show you some day, show me you can clear your mind of thought first."

The child looked thoughtful, then nodded. "I'll try, Cloud."

Cloud nodded. "You better hurry, before they leave without you." He gave Zeph a small smile, the child leaving the bed and charging down the steps. Cloud sighed, frustrated with his situation. He heard the front door shut, and he peeked out the blinds to watch his family walking down the street. Maybe next time. For now he was a prisoner in his own home.

* * *

"Papa said Cloud's gotta watch over us until he can come down here to catch that werewolf," Marlene said offhandedly.

Tifa tsked. "He said he would come by very soon." That was a potential powder keg right there. The questions he asked had her on edge; has Cloud been acting normal, has he been doing anything funnier than usual, why did he and Evan lie about slaying that werewolf...Things she didn't want to lie about but had to right now. Cloud was acting as normal as Cloud could pretend to act, he always acted a little funny so what did you mean exactly, and it might have been a similar werewolf. Eventually Barret would have to know, but right now all he would think about was Marlene living with a meat eating monster if she told him.

"It'll be nice to see Mr. Barret again," Zeph said with a small smile. He liked Barret, he was certain on his course of action when it came to protecting those around him.

"...Hey, those guys've been following us since we made it to the plaza, Tifa." Denzel looked back again, and Tifa did so as well. There were two of them, and a hound. They were dressed in blue WRO uniforms.

Tifa sighed, continuing towards the ice cream shop. "It'll be okay." The group continued on, occasionally eyeing the duo that, after a turn this way and that way, were obviously tracking them. Tifa mentally shrugged; the dog could smell Cloud on her, most likely.

Finally the group made it to the ice cream shop, the group waiting in a short line for the cool treat on a hot afternoon. The WRO hunters came closer but seemed to wait on the corner of a brick building, as if to not harass the business with their prying. _'At least they're kind of polite...'_ Tifa thought. "C'mon, guys. It's our turn!"

The children picked up their favorite flavors; Denzel choosing strawberry, Marlene picking chocolate, and Zeph choosing mint. Tifa requested a cookies and cream. She felt bad Cloud wasn't there despite his usual dislike of sweets, he'd still enjoy the time together and said ice cream was alright once in a while. As soon as the last cone was given to her she paid, then they made their way towards home.

Soon enough a low growl made its way to her ears, and she paused and turned to face the hunters that had been stalking them.

"Hey there, ma'am." One of the WRO hunters said in an artificially warm tone, his tan face giving a polite smile.

"Um, good afternoon...Can I help you?" She licked her cone. The children had worried looks on their faces as they looked up at the adults.

The second hunter spoke up, his brown eyes staring into her red ones. "Well, I'm sure you've heard of the attack last week, and we've been looking for the...troublemaker." He glanced at the children, then back at Tifa. He obviously didn't want to scare them too much, and motioned towards a quiet alley. "Do you mind speaking to me, over there? My comrade will keep the children safe, I promise."

Tifa looked back at the children and then back at the hunter. She wasn't a werewolf, so any tests they did would be useless. "As long as the children are safe. I'll hold you to it."

He gave a genuine smile, nodding. He took hold of the dog's leash as it let out a small growl after it had sniffed Zeph, and firmly tugged it towards the alley with him. He took Tifa towards an alley, surprised at her confidence as she continued to eat her ice cream in a casual manner. The dog sniffed her, then growled.

"So...This dog is trained to sniff out werewolves, you know? Recent development, this is the first batch." He was pointing at the hound, a serious look on his face. His other hand was near his gun.

"Do you think we're a family of werewolves, then?" Tifa raised a brow before licking more of the softening ice cream.

The hunter let out a laugh. "I don't know about that. But-" He squinted at her raised hand for a few moments. "No...You aren't. But the dog..." His hand near his gun relaxed, and he looked at the hound.

"I run a bar, you know! It could have been one of the customers...The children help during the summer too, and we had a customer we had to pamper a bit today." Tifa shrugged. "Some people are just temperamental, but that guy..." She studied the hunter as he looked back at her, hanging on her every word. "He had a big thing for meat, I noticed."

"Anyone else live with you?" The hunter raised a brow.

"...Yeah. My husband."

"Where is he?"

"At home, working on...the shower."

The hunter grunted. "I see. Does he work at your bar?"

"Lately. The last two weeks he's been stuck in the bar, actually. Needed the help." Tifa sighed, wondering when the grilling would be over.

The hunter frowned, but seemed to relax further. "Two weeks? Hmph. Just be careful ma'am, there's a werewolf hanging around the city. Sorry to bother you."

_'Don't I know it, and he's an absolute handful.'_ Tifa gave a kind smile towards the man. "It's alright. Thanks for looking out for everyone!" She walked back towards the children, nodding at them to continue on. The hunter behind her shook his head at his partner and they walked the opposite way, the dog giving a final growl towards the group before being tugged away.

"What was that all about?" Denzel asked.

Tifa chomped into her cone, thinking on the little conversation. "He thought I was a werewolf. Isn't that silly?" She remembered her ring. "He must've thought my ring was made of silver, that's why he didn't detain me longer..." She thought some more.

"...So that dog, it's one of the new ones that can sniff out werewolves, right?" Marlene asked.

Tifa nodded. "That's what he said. Guess it was mistaken, huh? A family of werewolves..." She let out a small laugh.

Denzel and Marlene giggled knowingly. Zeph frowned worriedly, licking his ice cream in silence.

* * *

_Zeph heard a scratching at his bedroom door. He sat up in bed, holding his covers as if they would protect him from whatever could possibly be on the other side; soft light and moving shadows were playing in the space between the floor and the door. The sound grew, and the boy held his breath, paralyzed with fear..._

_The door burst open and four shadowy figures quickly surrounded his bed. He recognized them all; it was his adoptive family, silhouettes and feral faces smiling at him with yellow eyes except for a single pair that shone blue in the dark. Denzel and Marlene's giggles sounded almost like chuckling hyenas, the children pointing at him with clawed fingers as pointy teeth gleamed at him. "You found out our secret!" They taunted in a twisted singsong voice._

_A female voice, Tifa, called out to him. "Now you'll have to be one of us, Zeph." Her normally friendly smile was warped into some twisted visage of woman and wolf._

_The boy moaned. "I don't wanna!" He backed himself towards the headboard, looking for a way out, his head swinging this way and that way as he breathed quickly. Where was his silver sword?_

_"Maybe we'll eat him instead?" Marlene said cruelly._

_"But I like him just enough," Denzel said, his teeth gleaming from the hallway light._

_"Sorry, kiddo. Unlike staying with us, you don't have a choice in this." Cloud's voice was barely apologetic, and his glowing blue eyes seemed almost amused. "It won't hurt too much..." The other family members grasped his limbs, holding him down as he struggled. They laughed as Cloud's clawed hand came to scratch Zeph's arm_

"Zeph! Hey!" The child jumped and shouted, looking around his dark room as a strong, gentle hand held his shoulder. "Shhh...You're gonna wake up the whole neighborhood at this rate, kiddo." Cloud was whispering softly to him. Zeph whimpered at the sound of his voice.

The boy looked up fearfully into Cloud's softly glowing eyes, and was given concerned frown back. Zeph said nothing, but took deep breaths as he was taught while holding tightly to his blanket.

"You were having another nightmare...Wanna talk about it?" Cloud asked in a whisper. He rubbed the child's shoulder softly, trying to calm him down.

Zeph looked around him, his room the way it was before he fell asleep; his silver sword was right where he left it, in arm's reach. Cloud crouched down at the side of his bed as Tifa's face peeked from the dark hallway. He squeaked, and Cloud looked back, whispering something to her that Zeph couldn't make out. She nodded, then her head disappeared. As he turned back to look at Zeph they made eye contact, and the boy nodded.

After explaining his nightmare, Cloud had an uncomfortable look on his face. He didn't like that the child's dreams were now making the paranoid child fearful of the family.

"I-I think it was because of those hunters," Zeph said.

Cloud nodded slowly, Tifa had told him the story earlier as they laid in bed. He hoped Reeve or even Yuffie would contact him soon. "So...It has you worried."

"Is Tifa a werewolf? Did that Penelope girl change her?" His face was full of worry. "She said the hunter mistook her ring for silver, but the dog was growling at her..."

Cloud let out a sigh. "Tifa's no werewolf. Look, the dog was growling at you kids too, right?" The boy nodded. "So, maybe it wasn't trained right...You're obviously not a werewolf, right?" He gave a small smile to the boy as he shook his head. Zeph's eyes moved side to side as if contemplating if he should ask something of Cloud. He took a deep breath and landed the blond warrior with a dour, serious expression on his face. Cloud didn't appreciate the look he was being given. He got up as he usually did before leaving, and he stretched his back, before looking back down at Zeph. He opened his mouth to say a few parting words.

"Cloud? Is everything okay in here? Y-You need your sleep, you're still healing..." It was Tifa, her head was poking through the darkness again.

"I think so...Hey, just remember, we're all here for you, alright?" Cloud let out a soft laugh. "Even _if_ we were a family of werewolves." He patted the child on the shoulder and tucked him back in. "See you in the morning, Zeph."

"N-night..." He had wanted to ask Cloud the dreaded question, too. There was something so very off about his guardian, but usually he could deny them because of one reason or another. _'But what would I do if he's one of them?'_

* * *

The next several days were another mixture of boredom and anxiety for Cloud, still waiting to hear from Reeve. Yuffie promised that he was burning through his workload as hard as he could, and then he could catch up on what the ninja thought was so important that didn't involve someone's death or serious injury. He sighed as he finished his work on Fenrir. Denzel had come in earlier, hoping to spar with the warrior some before lunch. Cloud might not be the biggest fan of the rod, but the child was a natural; he even blocked Cloud twice in a row before getting the dreaded death tap. It was almost just play to the two, and Cloud was proud of Denzel's advancement in his chosen weapon. "Maybe you'll teach me something, someday," Cloud had said to him with a smile.

Zeph appeared from the bar, approaching the wooden practice swords. Cloud stood up, walking towards him as he took one of the weapons after placing his silver sword on the shelf. Zeph carried it almost everywhere he could. "Practicing?"

Zeph held the sword firmly in his hand, nodding at the question.

"Alright." Cloud took another wooden sword, then they both walked to the more open area of the garage. Zeph stood in front of him, and Cloud smelled fear mixed with his determination; he frowned. "If you want to fight people or monsters, you're going to need to stop being led by your fear."

Zeph gave a stern look. "I'm not led by fear..."

Cloud snorted. "That nightmare a few nights ago says otherwise. If you came across a real monster, or a real werewolf in the dark, if you aren't just sparring...I bet you'd freeze up." He was challenging the child now.

"...No I wouldn't!" He swiped in front of him. Cloud almost wanted to test him, but not quite yet.

Knocking the blade from the child, he went to poke him in the chest. Cloud was surprised when Zeph did the roll he was taught, picking up his sword and putting it in a defensive position. "...Good. But, this isn't like a real battle." He tested Zeph, seeing if he'd dodge or block properly; trying to hit him at a normal rate of speed.

"You have to be able to strike your opponent, too. Not just defend. C'mon, try and hit me." Zeph lunged, Cloud now doing the blocking and dodging. "Anticipate my attacks, and my movements." He tried for a few minutes, frustrated when he couldn't hit his tutor. "Calm down..." Cloud dodged another attack.

Zeph became increasingly frustrated, blocked and dodged at every corner, until in a moment of rage and clarity he swung the wooden sword straight into the side of Cloud's kneecap. The warrior grunted in surprise as he fell onto one knee before blocking the next attack. "That was a little dirty, but I'm not here to teach you to fight fair." Cloud used his sword to swipe behind the child's knees and then held him in his arms as he fell. "You have a ways to go, but I think you'll make it...If you stop being so scared." He chuckled.

Zeph was about to lightly protest when they both heard someone on the other side of the garage door that led to the outside. Footsteps and the growling of a dog came up to the metal door. Cloud's face noticeably paled, and he silently sniffed the air as he held Zeph by his chest.

"It keeps comin' here. I don't think a werewolf is gonna live in a bar, you know."

"Could be a patron, but the strongest track seems to be back here. Maybe it just uses this alley."

"Eh, the trail is the same one Merle tracked that night, almost two weeks ago. Maybe it left?"

"Who knows. I might go in for a drink later, do the silver gil trick."

"That bagged a werewolf in Under Junon, I heard." The voices began to grow distant, the dog's growling ceasing as they left the back of the bar.

Cloud relaxed, and blinked a few times as he looked down at Zeph. "Sorry. Old habit."

Zeph wasn't relaxing. Was Cloud sniffing? He remembered Valdt doing the same action once, a silent but noticeable action if you were close to him. He'd use it to smell fear coming off him as he sat in his filthy cell..."Why were you sniffing the air like that?" Zeph's face was full of terror as the conversation outside the garage played in his head over and over.


	26. Fighting Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao this is like the one fic that barely ever gets reviews
> 
> GG

Cloud's face drained of all color as he looked down at Zeph. He had been forgetful of the child's paranoia as he listened and sniffed the air moments ago. "I..." He didn't have an excuse lined up for this and he looked away, his jaw clenched from worry.

Zeph's eyes grew wider as everything began to fall into place; he couldn't deny it any longer. "You're hiding from the hunters, aren't you? That's why you won't go outside..." He lifted himself from Cloud's arms as quickly as he could, never taking his fearful gaze from Cloud's despondent face as he backed towards the wall behind him, practice sword in his hand in a weak bid for protection. "...And why that dog was growling at us when we went for ice cream!"

"Zeph..." He lowered his gaze with a sigh. His hands rested on his knees as he sat haphazardly on the floor, wooden sword to his side. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

The blond-haired child edged away and towards his silver blade on the opposite side of the garage. His breath was fast and his eyes never left Cloud. "You were a werewolf the whole time...I trusted you..."

Cloud looked up, his blue eyes revealing hurt. "And did I ever do anything to you?" He watched Zeph as he inched closer to the other wall. He knew what he was after, but he would make no attempt to stop Zeph; it would only alert the bar as he screamed for help despite the lack of danger.

Flinching, Zeph disappeared from Cloud's view as he went behind Fenrir from his position on the ground. He raised himself slowly to watch the child's movements without potentially setting him off further. Zeph watched him in return, terrified, unsure if he would be attacked or not for finding out his guardian's secret. "T-Tifa..." Zeph squeaked for the bartender on the opposite side of the door. He made it to his blade and replaced the wooden one with his sharp and silver sword.

Cloud sighed and put his hands on his hips. "She knows. Remember the night of the sweep, when I stayed home?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the door to the bar opened. Tifa's head popped into view. "Zeph, did you need something?" She frowned as she noticed he was holding his silver blade towards Cloud, and then looked towards the warrior. He looked paler than usual and more than a little nervous.

Zeph gawked at her, then looked back at Cloud. He remembered that night; Tifa stayed with him until he fell asleep. "Y-you knew Cloud was a..."

Tifa gently shut the door behind her after walking into the garage. "Yeah. Sorry, Zeph. But you just weren't ready to know. You don't seem ready yet, either." She scratched her head, unsure what to do. "It's not like you're in any danger here..."

Zeph felt betrayed, but also confused as he nervously looked back and forth between the two adults. Cloud hadn't hurt him, but...He was one of those things that took away his sister. He stared at Cloud. "But how long until you wanna eat me, or Denzel, or Marlene?"

Cloud narrowed his eyes. That was a painful accusation. "I don't wanna eat anyone. Don't you think it'd be silly to train you how to kill a werewolf before trying to eat you?"

Tifa crossed her arms. "Do you think I'd let that happen in the first place?"

Zeph stared at her as she asked the question, then shook his head. "N-no..."

Cloud sighed, the conversation was taking its toll on his emotions. He didn't like being thought of as only a monstrous thing, when it wasn't at all the whole of who he was. Especially not from a family member, even if he expected a similar reaction to this. "Look...How about we give you some time and space so you can think things over, okay?" Zeph was staring at him now, his eyes still wide with shock and terror. He hinted a nod, and Cloud slowly made his way towards Tifa while Zeph watched him warily. "...I'm gonna help Tifa in the bar while you calm down a little." He gently took her hand while Tifa gave a sympathetic look towards Zeph before turning around to enter the bar. Both adults left after a moment and gently shut the door behind them.

Zeph stood there in the suffocating silence left behind from their exit for several minutes. Underneath that awkward but friendly facade was a hideous monster. He had a feeling growing in his heart slowly over the weeks that he had pushed away, convincing himself it was just his paranoia. Cloud was just too nice to be a werewolf, he would think to himself. But...The way Cloud looked at Tifa's meat dishes or how Zeph would find him scarfing down jerky after certain meals. Or why the stray cats in the alley would scatter whenever he came out of the garage, why he would 'sniffle' occasionally out of the blue without a stuffy nose.

And Tifa knew. Why oh why did she bring him into their home if she knew? Because adults do things just because? Zeph chewed on his lip. 

He looked at his silver sword. After a few moments he placed it back in the sheath and attached it to his belt. He went to the garage doors and opened the aluminum slide door with some effort, entering the alley and letting it shut behind him. He decided he'd take a walk and think things out; his feelings were sorely divided between betrayal for not being alerted to Cloud's identity and gratitude for being brought into the house in the first place. He wandered out of the alley and towards the central plaza, pausing to look at the Meteorfall monument.

He remembered that day, the day Meteor fell and the Lifestream welled up to meet it. He didn't know what it was at the time, of course. All he knew was that his mother was holding Fiore and he in their little shack in the sector four slums, hoping that the plate above wouldn't collapse on them as green light grew in the twilight of Armageddon. Then, the next thing he knew he was being carried by someone towards an emergency tent set up outside of the slums.

His mother and sister had reunited with him after a few days; the chaos in the wake of Meteor had made it difficult to find loved ones. After a while and with no choice because of the cold winter, they made their way back to their old shack for some semblance of shelter. Fiore and Zeph had gone out to trade scrap for food and gil like many others after a while. Their mother would volunteer with the building of Edge for some hot meals she could share with her children. Eventually the scrap had cleared up and the newly established WRO went to the most damaged sectors for scrap pick up, taking away the children's income. Zeph sighed as he shoved the memories away. He was in the here and now, and now had its own set of problems.

Zeph continued on his path, knowing where he planned to go. The streets were busy with citizens going this way and that way, and a few vehicles that roamed the roads in the early evening. Sometimes he would eye a hunter patrolling the area, and he wondered if he should say something or not. For one reason or another he couldn't quite rat Cloud out. Not yet, anyway. Despite the recent discovery and the feeling that he had been tricked into living in a home with a monster, he was hesitant to do anything to this particular werewolf. He pushed on towards the west, towards his old home. As he traveled the pedestrian traffic slowed, and the streets became quiet. He was lost in thought until he felt a tap on his shoulder, making him jolt and gasp as he turned to see who stalked him.

"Whatcha doin', Zeph?" Marlene had been following him. Her light pink dress swayed slightly in the breeze.

Zeph looked down at the ground and then back up at her, his green eyes full of anger. "I figured out why Cloud was inside the house all the time. He's one of those things, a werewolf! Tifa knew, too!"

Marlene shook her head. "So that's why you're all the way out here..." She had a sad look on her face. "We all knew, Zeph. Cloud made Denzel and me promise not to say anything 'cause you had a really bad time down there in the sewers...We all felt a little guilty about it, really!"

He started walking again, his steps expressing his mood. "I came down this way to think...You could have said something, still!" His voice was accusatory.

She sighed and momentarily closed her eyes. "A promise is a promise. I wouldn't break a promise with Cloud unless I really, really had to." Marlene walked to the side and behind the boy, their soft footsteps the only other noise besides their conversation.

Zeph snorted. "Why, would he kill you if you did?" He readjusted his headband.

Marlene giggled. "Of course not! You should know Cloud by now."

"I thought I did." Zeph kicked a stray pebble.

"He's really not that much different than before. It's just harder to sneak 'cause he can smell us."

"Yeah? The radio said he killed a hunter." He had put two and two together. That was why he came home that morning bloodied and burned.

Marlene shrugged behind the boy. "Cloud wasn't happy about it. He said they hurt him really bad when he just wanted to be left alone."

"D'you believe him?" Zeph looked back with an eyebrow raised. Why was Cloud out there, anyway? Was it because of him...?

She nodded. "Cloud wouldn't do that for fun. He saved you and the other kids from that other werewolf, didn't he? He does what he has to do."

The boy sighed. Marlene was right, he had gone down there with his friends to kill Valdt. Then Zeph had woken up in his and Tifa's home. The path they were on turned to dirt as they entered the shadow of the Midgar ruins and the slums.

"Y'know what else? Tifa's afraid of werewolves!" Marlene let out a small laugh.

"...No she's not!" Why marry what you're afraid of?

"Is too! She was really afraid of Cloud when he told her. Now, she'll hang around him when he's all furry." She looked thoughtful. "I saw a picture of him as a big bad wolf once. I kinda wanna see him up close someday, but he's so shy about it."

Zeph crossed his arms. "Werewolves are terrifying. You'd probably wanna run away." He remembered how Valdt would sometimes change just to savagely scare the children, trying to reach for them in their cells in the low light. That monster reveled in fear, and werewolves weren't hard to fear at all just by looking at them.

"I dunno. Denzel went looking for him that one night when he stayed in the garage. He said he looked cool. Cloud made him go back to bed, though." Marlene thought a moment about how casual she was being about what should be a grave subject. Still, it wasn't something serious to her anymore.

The thought terrified Zeph, but Cloud had said as much earlier; he had been lurking there, so very close to him as he slept with the reassuring assumption that they were down there to protect the bar from werewolves..."You trust him...Why?"

Marlene nodded. "I told you, he hasn't really changed much since he got scratched. Denzel and I were worried for a little bit, but...He never stopped being who he was, to us at least. Maybe he's ruder to customers?" She scratched her head as she thought. "I know you haven't known him as long as me and Denzel, but I really mean it when I say Cloud's still a good guy. It doesn't matter if he's a werewolf or not."

Zeph didn't say anything for a while, and just thought some more. He really did like Cloud and Tifa, he admitted to himself; but he didn't know if he could handle this or not. As the initial shock and horror began to wear off happier memories balanced out his thoughts. Cloud and Tifa had taken a risk bringing him home, because that's what they thought he needed at the time. A home. One with siblings and mother and father figures. Despite the guilt over his dead sister, it had been great. But now he found out what the catch was for accepting the offer given to him.

He made his way towards a path in the dust, the sunlight waning further to the west. After a few more minutes of walking, he found his destination: The old shack he and his sister lived in before Valdt abducted them. "This was my home, before everything happened..." He opened up the rusty door, revealing the cluttered insides to the children. He glimpsed at where his old flashlight was, and he picked it up before turning it on.

"So this is where you lived..." Marlene looked around in a melancholy fascination.

* * *

Cloud watched the bar from his position near the door as Denzel waited tables. Looking towards his left, the light had waned from the window that stood in front of a now empty booth. Some worry panged in him; he was unsure where Marlene or Zeph had gone. They had left the boy in the garage to think things over and the girl had gone over to a friend's house to play. Sighing, he checked the time on his phone. It was time to close the bar. He opened the door to place the "Closed" sign up when a couple of hunters barged in, yammering about drinks. They had tied up their dog by the steps. The hound was staring at him as he closed the door. Did Zeph tell them?

"Sorry, sorry," said the first hunter, and Cloud immediately recognized his voice: It was the same voice from the alley earlier. "Just want a quick drink, sir." His smile felt mocking, and the warrior didn't take kindly to such things in his home. Still, he swallowed his pride so as to not make a scene.

Cloud nodded sternly. "Quick drinks' at the counter." He went back to watching the bar silently, his arms crossed over his chest.

The two hunters made their way towards the bar, sitting at the stools provided. Tifa turned around, giving them her usual smile. "Hello! It's almost closing time, but what can I get you?" she beamed.

"Good evening little lady, we'd just like some beer." The second one silently nodded in agreement.

Tifa nodded as she acquired beer glasses and filled them with the amber liquid. Finished, she placed the drinks in front of the motley duo, smiling. "Two beers, there you go!" she chimed. The two nodded then knocked back their drinks. The day had been hot, the last day of July, and they were tired from their sweeps with nothing to show for it but a dead end.

After a few minutes of silent drinking they finished. The first hunter took out some bills and coins to pay. He placed them on the counter, nodding his thanks for the beer; Tifa thanked him and picked up the money, putting it in the cash register. She frowned when she looked at one of the coins, but closed the register with it inside regardless. "Well, it's closing time! I hope to see you again soon."

The hunters almost looked disappointed. "Perhaps. Beer was pretty good." The hunter turned to his partner. "Come on, you. Gotta get back to the barracks." They made their way out slowly while taking a good look at Cloud as he helped Denzel clean tables. They took one last look around, then left through the front door after giving the blond bouncer a quick up and down. Cloud immediately went forward and locked the door with a sigh.

Tifa's warm smile turned into a frown. "Guess this was the silver gil trick you overheard..." She lifted a grayish gil coin, and Cloud came over to investigate it himself. He picked it up with a gloved hand as he cocked his head; a moment later and he felt the sting of silver on his wrist as he tested it.

"...Keep it in case you need to throw it at someone who deserves it," he said flatly. Cloud looked around with a worried look on his face as he rubbed the burn mark. "Marlene and Zeph aren't back." He had asked Denzel to check on the boy before he worked the bar; Zeph had disappeared, Cloud assumed he took a walk to mull over everything.

Tifa looked out the dark window, the sun's glow growing ever weaker. "It's getting late...When you said you were going to give him space, I don't think you meant to stay out all night..." Cloud shook his head in response.

Denzel spoke up, "Do you want me to go looking for them?"

Tifa put a hand to her lips. "Could you check Marlene's friend's house? At least we'll know if she's there or not." The boy nodded and left through the front door in a hurry. The house was a couple of doors down, and he would be back shortly. Cloud frowned, he had a bad feeling welling in his chest. He wordlessly went upstairs, disappearing from Tifa's view as he climbed the steps.

A few minutes later and Denzel came back, locking the door behind him. His face was a worried frown as he turned back towards the bar. "Marlene left a couple of hours ago, they said."

Tifa's eyes widened and she bit her lower lip. "Oh, no...Denzel, I want you to stay here and watch over the house. I-"

Cloud stomped down the stairs. "You coming, Teef?" He was dressed in the robe Yuffie gifted him. He looked over at Denzel. "Hold down the fort for us, buddy. We'll be back."

"Are you sure about this? Those hunters might track you..." she fretted.

He put his hood up and his eyes softly glowed under it. "Gotta find the kids. To hell with the hunters."

The adults made their way to the garage and then the alley, looking this way and that. Zeph's scent went towards the still busy plaza...Cloud shrugged, the children were his first priority. He and Tifa disappeared into the crowd of people, the werewolf keeping an ear out for growls while following the scent. Cloud heard a faint growl somewhere behind him after a few minutes before they pushed their way through the crowd as Marlene's scent mingled with Zeph's out of the many smells of the central hub. The noise of the area made it difficult to tell if the growling was following them or just close by from some stray mutt.

They broke out of the other side and into a dark, wide alley that looked sinister in the night. Tifa held Cloud's arm as he tracked the children down the road, the darkness making it difficult to see until her eyes acclimated further. She looked back the way they came, making sure they weren't followed by any lingering hunters as they quickly made their way from the plaza. The couple noticed they were getting increasingly close to the Sector Four ruins, a mostly residential slum. Cloud let out a sigh.

"What are they doing out here..." At least he didn't have to worry about the smell of the mass of pedestrians as it grew fainter. He hadn't eaten since lunch, and he didn't want his hunting instincts to tug on him too much. He swallowed hard and focused on his task. There was food at home.

Tifa shrugged as she worried about the children. She looked back again, nothing. They continued on towards the canopy of the Midgar plate, and Cloud noticed the scents were getting stronger. A few more steps and it grew ever more, and the faint sound of familiar voices came to his ears. It brought a wave of relief, they were alright!

Then, he smelled something, and he froze.

"Cloud?" Tifa whispered in a worried tone. "What is it?"

* * *

"See...This is my mom, and this is my sister, Fiore." Zeph pointed at the people in the picture, his expression sad and nostalgic as he sat on his knees on the floor with Marlene. "Mom died of Geostigma, and Fiore..."

Marlene nodded. "Cloud and Tifa told us the night you came home. I'm sorry, Zeph." Her expression matched the sadness on his face.

He shook his head. "I...still feel guilty for being the only one left alive, even when everyone tells me not to. But that's why I was training! So I could stop stuff like that..."

"Just like Cloud?" Marlene gave a smile.

"...I guess." He looked down. He always trained him...

Marlene frowned. "It's getting late. We really should be getting back home, don't you think?"

Zeph had a thoughtful look grow on his face. "I don't know where I belong. Where I wanna go."

The girl gawked at him, her brown eyes conveying her confusion. "You don't wanna be with us?"

Zeph shook his head. "It's not that...Even with Cloud, I want to handle that...I still feel guilty for being...Well, happy."

Marlene rolled her eyes. "You're way too much like Cloud for your own good!"

He stared at her. "I am?"

Before she could respond, a scratching sound came from the door. The children were frozen in fear at the sound. At last Zeph picked himself up and took out his sword, putting himself in front of Marlene. He hoped to be able to protect someone he cared about this time, if it was really needed. The boy put the flashlight on the nearly empty table, facing the door so he could see who it was. The door shoved open; a wiry, vile eyed man creeped through, watching the children in the darkness. He looked to be middle aged, his dark hair disheveled and peppered with grey, his teeth crooked and not quite right...

"Oooh...Hello, little morsels. I thought I heard children...I guess my hearing is still sharp." He took a few small steps into the shack, walking towards the two. Zeph watched the man saunter towards them like they were prizes. Marlene gasped.

_'If you came across a real monster, or a real werewolf in the dark, if you aren't just sparring...I bet you'd freeze up.'_

Zeph poked the man's gnarled, reaching hand with the tip of his blade. A wretched, inhuman snarl emanated from the man's mouth. He rubbed his hand as black smoke lifted from the cut. A grimace formed on the pale, malevolent face. "That won't save you from me, boy. I hunger for man-meat."

"You better leave us alone, or Cloud's gonna beat you up!" Marlene said matter-of-factly. The children took a few steps back, hoping they could possibly make it around the table and out into the slums.

"Someone I should know?" the werewolf said mockingly with a humorless chuckle. He sniffed the air and frowned. "You were near another..." He shrugged. "Finders keepers." The man suddenly went to grab Zeph's arm, but was instead blocked by the blade. The contact made a hissing noise. The werewolf was growing more irritated with his meals, and he let out a low growl. The scared children backed away further, then charged towards the door. Marlene flew out the door with Zeph keeping her back safe; He was caught after a moment by a vile hand as the table was flung out of the man's way. The child was paralyzed by fear momentarily as the grisly hand twisted his blue shirt.

_'If you want to fight people or monsters, you're going to need to stop being led by your fear.'_

Zeph swung his blade again at the man, slicing a shin to the bone with a sizzle. He was let loose after a screech from the evil man, and he charged out of the shack only for the swift werewolf to slam him up against the outside walls of the rickety slum home, the air knocked from his lungs; Zeph's sword was dislodged from his hand and he slid off the metal sheets.

"One down...You won't taste as good as the little girl, a bit stringy I bet, but it'll feel _good_ to take out my frustrations on you, first..." He firmly held Zeph's arms as he squirmed on the ground. Shivering in terror he noticed sharp, growing teeth and a strange crunching noise as the monster's face gradually changed into some horrible hybrid of man and wolf. Zeph remembered that sort of face as he began to hyperventilate, remembered the moments before someone lost their life in front of him-

A sharp jab of pain went through the wiry man as a powerful kick connected with his abdomen, knocking him to his back and having him gasp for air. Zeph took the opening and scrambled away, back to the walls of unoccupied slum shacks and slowly edging away from the two strangers. He looked down at the partially changed man and then up towards the black hooded figure standing, facing the other man. Who was he?

"They're... _MY_...kids..." the hooded man growled angrily. The voice was deep and throaty, but there was something almost familiar about it to Zeph. The hooded man slowly approached the other on the ground. Zeph noticed his hands had claws slowly pushing out of the tips of the severely swollen digits, and the man flexed them slowly. It was another werewolf! The child grabbed for his weapon in case there was another fight that would involve him, and he edged away slowly towards a possible escape. Did this one get Marlene?

"H-hey, we can share the food! There's two of them. I found them, so I want the little girl. You can have the boy." The man on the ground motioned his head towards Zeph, the boy eyeing both as he froze in his tracks. He swallowed nervously. The whimpering werewolf seemed to grow hair in the very low light that entered the slums...

The hooded figure shook his head. "Eat them?" He kicked the other in the side, hard enough to move him several inches, a whine squeaked out of his lips. "You think this is about _eating_ them?" he snarled.

"What the hell else is it about, do you have tea time with them or something?!" The man flipped over and snarled as his body changed faster, his cheap clothing tearing apart as his body warped and grew.

The hooded figure paused as he placed his freakish hands by his hood. "...Sometimes."

Noises that terrified Zeph came from the hooded man as he grew larger while he growled. The outfit he was wearing somehow conformed to his new size. The boy decided to retreat as he heard a snarl close to him and then the sound of a body smashing into cheap metal. He didn't look back as he charged back the way he came earlier as fast as his legs would take him. He tripped as his shoe snagged on something jutting out of the ground, and he looked back to see the werewolves fighting each other. The clothed one was making quick work of the other, and it tried to run off in Zeph's direction.

The boy choked on his breath and held out his silver blade as the clothed werewolf dug his claws deep into the other monster's back, sending screeches echoing into the slums as it stopped the other from from getting any closer to the boy. "Zeph!" A terrified voice behind him squeaked. He looked over and a silhouette of Tifa greeted him, waving him over to her. He picked himself up and sprinted towards her position, elated to see the warmhearted woman in the dark, violent slums. A few moments later and they met. Tifa held him as she crouched down, warily eyeing the werewolf fight far behind the boy.

"Tifa, why are you shaking so hard?" Zeph asked.

"I told you she was afraid of werewolves!" Marlene said as she came from behind her. Zeph smiled in relief; the little girl hadn't been attacked by one of the monsters behind them.

"Marlene..." Tifa moaned in embarrassment. "Come on, let's get away from the fight..." She took his hand to move him further away from the fight. He looked back at the two monsters as they made their way up the path.

As one of the werewolves tried charging up towards them again in a desperate bid to escape, his large eyes wide and blood dripping from deep wounds, the other slammed its weight into the challenger's back. There was a short struggle before the robed werewolf chomped on the other's neck, pulling and tearing at it violently until the spine separated and the flesh ripped apart with help of its claws, decapitating the other after a few moments.

Zeph watched the spectacle in a horrified daze as the winner licked his snout in the darkness. It looked up at Zeph and the others with glowing blue eyes. Was that...Cloud? He shuddered, and quickened his pace while tugging on Tifa's shirt to get her attention. He was too terrified to speak. The werewolf crawled towards them and Tifa looked back at the sound of claws scratching the dust and pebbles and the tug on her shirt. Her grip strengthened on Zeph's hand and then loosened as she stopped and relaxed. Zeph almost tripped on his feet, then froze in terror as the nightmare creature came ever closer. "T-Tifa..."

"It's alright Zeph. It's just Cloud."

Marlene peeked from behind Tifa, then came closer as Zeph squeaked at her to come back; obviously if Denzel got to see Cloud fluffy, so would she. The girl casually walked up to the werewolf as she looked him up and down. "Denzel was right, you do look cool like this!" she chimed. Tifa laughed at the expression on Cloud's face as he let out a little groan.

Zeph stared at the beast in front of him. They studied each other for a few moments. He was still afraid but not quite as terrified as he was a few minutes ago. It wasn't quite like the fear he had when he was stuck in Valdt's prison; he chalked it up to Tifa's presence, and the fact Cloud hadn't made a move to harm him just yet.

Cloud raised himself up and towered over the three. Zeph jumped back behind Tifa, trying to mentally reassure himself that he would make it out of the slums alive tonight. The werewolf closed his eyes and a few moments later Cloud was his usual self again, the outfit overly large. He focused on the glowing materia in his robe, and after a moment the suit covered him properly. He opened his eyes, and a stern look crossed his face as his hands rested on his hips.

"Why did you two go out here, all alone? You could have been killed!" he said in an upset voice.

Marlene looked down. "Sorry, Cloud..."

Zeph looked up towards the werewolf. "I...I wanted to go home, and think about everything."

Tifa raised a brow. "Home?"

The boy pointed towards his old shack. The adults immediately understood. Cloud looked over at Tifa, and gave her a nod.

"I'll be right back. Can you keep a look out?"

"Yeah. I don't think we have much time, though. Your friend over there was noisy..." She motioned towards the wolf corpse.

Cloud looked down at Zeph, and offered his hand to the boy. Zeph stared at it; it was a little dirty from plodding on the ground. He wondered why there was no blood splattered on it and then decided to stop thinking about that altogether. "It's alright, Zeph."

He took in a sharp breath. His green eyes darted between Tifa, who gave him an encouraging smile, and Cloud, who was giving him a pleading look. After a few moments he warily took his hand, then Cloud moved towards the shack with him. He could feel the shaking in Zeph's hand and instinctively rubbed it. "So, these are the slums you're from..."

Zeph thought he was judging him. "It was all we had besides our each other, you know," he said in a defensive voice.

Cloud raised a brow at his tone as he entered the tiny house. "...I had a dear friend that lived in the slums. Tifa, Barret and Marlene lived in the slums for a while, too." He looked at the small room in front of him. "I stayed there for a bit as well."

Zeph took his flashlight and shined it towards the corner his family picture was at. "I-I thought you and Tifa were from...Nibelheim?" He took a few steps and took the picture reverently, then moved quickly towards the tiny bedroom. The sounds of him rummaging through things entered the main room.

Cloud crossed his arms. "We are. But, we ended up here for...different reasons."

The child reappeared, carrying a leather pouch. He approached Cloud, finally ready to leave his past home. Looking up at his guardian with eyes that glinted with fear and curiosity, he asked a question the werewolf anticipated. "So, what brought you to Midgar then?" Cloud gently put a hand on the child's back and then closed the door as they left. He put his hood back on to hide his spikes.

"...I'd rather not talk about that right now. It's...a long story." His voice was quiet. "Maybe some day." They approached Tifa and Marlene's position, but they were no where to be found. "Tifa?"

She appeared to his left. "Cloud! Um, we have to go."

Cloud blinked, then followed Tifa's eyes to two masses on the ground. A familiar scent reached his nose as he sniffed. "...That's that hunter that was chasing me the other night!"

"Oh. Well, um, I knocked him out. The dog, too. I guess he followed us down here..." Her hand was covering her mouth.

"...I guess we should mosey then," Cloud said dryly. Tifa giggled, taking his arm as the four quickly made their way towards home.

* * *

The trip home had been quiet as they used alley ways to make their way towards the bar in a bid to meet as few hunters as they could. When they finally made it home, Denzel immediately asked for the story from Tifa as Cloud went upstairs to shower away any evidence of the fight. His feet were filthy from the slums after he had left his sneakers with Tifa when he had smelled the other werewolf.

Cloud's shower was long and hot. His body had healed quickly from any minor injuries that pathetic challenger gave him; how could he even think he had a chance? Edge was his territory, and those were his children. That he had been so foolish to lay a finger on either child when he had to have smelled another werewolf's scent on them was his death knell. Cloud looked down at the drain as the water swirled around it, still thinking over the fight.

Leaving the bathroom clean and refreshed he smelled Tifa's cooking coming from downstairs, and his stomach rumbled. It smelled like one of her beef dishes, and it put him in a better mood. He went to the bedroom first, to inspect his robe for any tears or stains that he would need fixed up later. 

* * *

"So you're gonna stay with us still?" Denzel asked hopefully.

Zeph nodded. "I guess I'm safe here until I know how to fight better."

Marlene giggled. "I think you like us too much!"

He blushed, but said nothing as he looked down at the table. He did like them all, even though he knew he would be wary around Cloud for the foreseeable future.

"I was hoping you wouldn't leave us. It's nice, having you around...You cut my chores in half!" Denzel's dry humor made Zeph grin a little.

Zeph looked up with an amused glint in his eyes. "If I lived in my old home, I guess I wouldn't have as many to do, huh?"

Marlene shook her head. "It's really small, but with that fight there'd be a lot of clean up, right?"

Before he could answer, Tifa walked over with dishes of food. A few moments later and Cloud had made his way down the stairs, eyeing Tifa as she picked up their dishes to place on the table; she looked back at him with a particular smile that he returned. He followed behind her, the smell of her and the food intoxicating to the hungry werewolf.

Zeph sat at his usual place next to Denzel, occasionally eyeing Cloud as he ate. Sometimes the man would look over as if he had noticed the stares, then either went back to his food or someone would ask him a question in a conversation, or ask Zeph something, too. He wondered why everything seemed normal as always. Wouldn't there be punishments? Maybe tomorrow, when they'd thought of something appropriate. Or maybe they thought they had gone through enough of a punishment, he wondered.

* * *

"...Are you really that afraid of me?" Cloud frowned at the wary green eyes watching him from the bed, fear wafting into his nose as he approached and then crouched down by the child.

Zeph looked away. "...Not that much," he lied.

Cloud sighed. As long as he was safe, the warrior guessed it didn't matter.

"...I tried to keep Marlene safe," Zeph said, changing the subject.

"She told me. I guess you're learning to take control of a situation." He nodded in approval. "I'm proud of you."

Zeph turned to look back at Cloud, then shook his head. "He still got me. If you hadn't showed up..."

Cloud rubbed the back of his head and blushed. "You bought me some time...I guess I should have brought my sword with me. Would have been a lot quicker." He admitted to himself he enjoyed the tussle, however. Most werewolves were going to have trouble fighting him because of his enhancements.

Zeph looked shyly at Cloud. He was going to have to open up and learn from his guardian if he wanted to move on from his fears. "Um...How long have you been...?"

"Almost half a year. It's...different, but I'm coping with it." Cloud shrugged weakly. "Tifa and you kids really help keep me centered as I figure out everything."

Zeph studied his guardian, he was still trying to figure him out. Something he feared, someone he knew he could trust...He looked down at Cloud's hand and shifted his body to face him, and cautiously studied his hand with his own. Cloud slowly flipped it over. "It's just so much to take in right now..."

"Take your time. We're still here for you if you need us, that hasn't changed at all."

Zeph nodded, then looked back up at the warrior. Cloud's training had been precious today, and he wasn't done learning. "Can we practice tomorrow?"

Cloud grinned. "Sure."


	27. A Deadly Discussion

"Uhn..." Merle woke up to a horrible headache as he pushed himself off the ground and holding a hand to his sullied head. _'Every time I get near a werewolf I end up getting knocked out by something...'_ What did it this time? He looked down and noticed to his relief that the dog he brought with him was stirring and whining. _'At least this one isn't all over my face...'_ Slowly recovering he stumbled towards the scene of the fight he heard, trying to remember what could have knocked him out. Certainly not that scared woman!

His flashlight waving this way and that, Merle finally found the corpse of the werewolf. It had been decapitated in a rough manner; a large, sickly eye stared back lifelessly at the hunter, pointed teeth glinting in the light. He wondered where the other could possibly be, and if it had taken the woman and the girl to its den to eat them. The thought made him shudder. What were they doing down there, anyway? Did one of the werewolves trick her into a walk or something? He shrugged as he pulled out his communicator.

"WRO, this is 041 Merle. Requesting recovery."

"Roger, 041 Merle. Situation?" A deeper voice than last time sounded off.

"Another werewolf attack, this time it was two of 'em. They seemed to have fought each other to the death, one missing, one decapitated by the other. Need the body removed."

"Roger. Stay in position."

Merle sighed. He had tracked the trail of the werewolf that killed Harry and severely injured Ichi to the back of a bar, but any attempts to find the wily bastard had been futile; the bartender had been unwilling to allow a tracker hound into the business, citing the allergies of one of her children to the inquiring hunter that had asked her. Still, what were the chances of that monster living in a bar with uneaten children? It was all very strange.

He nudged the corpse, its black blood glistening in the flashlight's rays. _'Werewolves don't like to play nice with each other, do they?'_ Not good with humans, not good with themselves. The minutes passed by as he studied the dead werewolf, its long limbs covered in a fur less full than the torso, giving a lanky look to the arms and showing off the muscles of the upper legs. The paws were not quite paws or hands, and sported vicious claws on the tips of their digits. Merle wasn't sure how useful their thumbs were, and he bent down to gingerly inspect one. It was stiff and hard to move; more than likely it would have trouble using a doorknob. They were strange and ugly looking beasts, in Merle's opinion.

Soon a truck came to his position from the direction of the city, And Merle stood up and waved them down. The recovery team started their work on the corpse, picking up the head and the torso and attempting to disinfect any bodily fluids in the dirt. Another hunter came up to Merle, patting him on the back. "Well, that's one less werewolf in the city. I wonder how many could possibly live in the area?"

Merle spat on the ground. "Who knows. Seems like a festering disease to me. No one knew about this until recently? It's hard to believe."

The other hunter shrugged. "Been chaotic the last several years, hasn't it? Not that it matters anymore. We have orders to go back to our usual law keeping duties in Edge. Junon is still on alert within the city, however."

Merle raised his brows. "There's another werewolf confirmed in the city, and we're gonna just...stop?"

"The Big Cheese said he's going to have his friend find'em."

"How's he gonna find one without a hound?" Merle frowned.

The hunter shrugged. "No idea. President Tuesti seems pretty confident, however."

"Whatever. I'll believe it when I see a pile of corpses."

* * *

Cloud awoke the next morning to the sound of his phone's vibration upon the wood of his nightstand. He groaned as sunlight invaded his eyes as he turned about in bed. Cloud sniffled before grabbing the cellphone and accepting the call, not looking at who the caller was in his bleary eyed stupor. "H...Hello...?" His voice was low and rough, his eyes half open and wincing at either the light or a stray spike of hair grazing them.

A deep, calm voice resonated from the other end, snapping him out of his stupor. "Good morning, Cloud. I'm sorry that I've been so busy lately. Yuffie told me you've been getting yourself into a bit of trouble there in Edge."

Cloud let out a sleepy chuckle. "Reeve. Morning...Yeah, I have been."

"Mind telling me what you can? I trust Yuffie, but..." A small laugh came from the other end.

"Yeah, sure." Cloud gave him his story, the misadventures he'd had over the past five months. He sighed at the end of it, wondering what his friend would say.

"I see. You're the one that killed that hunter the other night, though, weren't you?" His voice was calm but Reeve obviously wanted an explanation, if Cloud really was mostly himself as he claimed.

"I was trying to escape, but...they followed me. That silver they used...You have no idea how painful it is." Cloud touched the spot on his abdomen where the bullet had entered. "I went out there to stay away from others, not butcher people."

"The surviving hunters said as much about following you. They weren't supposed to be out there, so I suppose it was self defense. And perhaps I'm saying as much because we're friends, too."

Cloud give a low chuckle out of relief. "Thanks. I'd really like to keep things like that to a minimum."

"Heh. But I do have a request of you, and you'd be paid by the WRO for it."

Cloud furrowed his brow as he laid his head on his pillow again. "...Yeah? What is it?"

"I assume it was you who took care of that other werewolf last night?" Reeve asked hopefully.

"Yeah. Was trying to hurt the kids...Reeve, what are you guys doing with the corpses?" He trusted Reeve, but Cloud never trusted scientists unless he had no choice.

"Trying to develop a cure or a vaccine to whatever is causing this, but it's been extremely difficult." He paused, Cloud figured he was about to give him his offer. "I want you to be the hunter in Edge."

Cloud blinked, putting a hand to his head and rubbing his face. "Hunt werewolves? Me?" Certainly he hated most other werewolves besides Penelope, and he wouldn't have any others in his territory without his permission. Permission wasn't something he'd give freely, either.

"Yes. You wouldn't have to worry about hunters in the city trying to find you, and you'll get paid a salary for it that you should find acceptable."

Cloud thought about it a minute. Put his delivery service on hiatus to work for the WRO? Work had been slowing down as the WRO helped rebuild the world, and it hadn't helped that he had been out of work for so long because of the hunters. He still wanted to stay busy, too. Being a courier payed plenty still, but it wouldn't hurt to try a new venue if the one he was in now was slowing, he thought. "Why not..."

"Excellent. Most of the hunters and hounds have been moved to Junon for sweeps there since last night, as the area seems to be a hotbed-"

Cloud interrupted. "Keep them out of the forests."

"What?"

"Keep them out of the forests near Junon. A friend lives there...She's like me. Just wants to be left alone." His voice was firm on the matter.

Reeve let out a small laugh. "If you insist. I'll trust your judgement on the matter."

"Thanks. So, you want me to be on the look out for werewolves in the city. I can't guarantee I'll nab one every week, but I'll search for 'em."

"That's all I ask of you. They've been extremely difficult to find, and the Junon werewolves have been bolder. Maybe we can bother with Kalm at a later date...But right now, the main cities are my top priority." They both knew it was like overturning a rock and finding squirming insects on the bottom. You don't know what is festering near you until you take notice, or so the both of them thought.

"Right."

"Mind if I dispatch Cait Sith to collect data with you?" He sounded hopeful.

Cloud laughed. "Are you tryin' to tell me you want to experience some adventure with me while you're stuck in your headquarters?" He was smiling.

It was Reeve's turn to laugh. "Perhaps. Oh, Barret said he was coming to check on Marlene. He was...upset when he heard the descriptions of the two people that were in the area from the hunter, before he was knocked out."

Cloud paled, his eyes snapping open. "I-I see..." His voice was noticeably fearful to the WRO president. "I knew he was coming soon, but it would've been nice if he called."

"...You haven't told him yet, have you?" Reeve asked.

Cloud said nothing. He sighed softly into the receiver.

Reeve chuckled. "I'm sure you'll be fine. If he doesn't kill you immediately, that is." Cloud knew he was joking with him, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that the inevitable talk could possibly end in his swift execution.

"Right..."

"Hm. Well, I have some things to take care of, now." Reeve sighed tiredly. "I'm sorry it took so long to get a hold of you."

"I know you're busy, Reeve. Thanks for calling, I really appreciate it," Cloud said sincerely.

"It was nothing, Cloud. I'll ship off Cait Sith to Seventh Heaven today. Good luck, hunter."

Cloud snorted. "Thanks."

He hung up, then stared at the ceiling. _'So now I'm a hunter.'_ His mind turned to Barret. _'A dead hunter...'_ He sighed and got himself up, preparing for the day ahead of him. Cloud shuffled off into the shower and then downstairs after he dried off and dressed. No matter what he couldn't get the thought out of his head: Barret was coming today. Not tomorrow or the next day, but today.

He snapped out of his thoughts as the scent of fear mingled with breakfast and his coffee. He frowned and looked around, his eyes falling on Zeph. "Uh, mornin' everyone." He moved his gaze to his seat and sat on it.

A low chorus of "Morning" rang out. 

"Are you okay, Cloud? Did you have a nightmare?" Marlene inquired.

He shook his head after sipping from his mug. "No...I um..." He bit his lip. 

"Cloud?" Denzel was looking up at him. 

"I..." He stood up and walked to Tifa. She was almost finished dividing the plates of food up when he grabbed her shoulder and moved her towards the alcohol storage. "Teef, I talked to Reeve this morning."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh! What did he say?"

"He said he was moving the hunters to Junon. I'll be free to walk around the city again." He fidgeted on his feet a little.

Tifa tilted her head to the side a little. "I'm glad, but what about the werewolves inside the city?"

"...That...is my responsibility, now."

She blinked a few times, her smile frozen on her face. "What?"

Cloud let out a little sigh. "Reeve wants me to hunt the werewolves preying on people in Edge. I agreed to it."

Tifa frowned. "But what about your delivery service?"

He shook his head. "I've been out of commission for so long I wouldn't be surprised if my customer base went with other options, now that there's a few available." He looked away and rubbed a cask of Corel Wine. "I'll get to be home more, and he's paying me a salary for it."

"Oh. Well..." It would be nice if he was in the area if an emergency occurred, and it wasn't like he couldn't handle another werewolf.

Cloud sniffed, then frowned as he opened the door to Zeph standing by it. His face was beet red and fear was pouring off of him in buckets. Denzel was nearby, rubbing the back of his head. The spiky haired warrior looked between the two. "What?"

Tifa squeezed by them to get back into the kitchen. "Well, Mr. Hunter, you better eat up before a long day of catching werewolves!"

"Huh?" The children were looking at Cloud as he came back to his seat. 

"I'm gonna kill other werewolves for the WRO," he stated.

"Really?! That's so cool!" Denzel beamed at his guardian.

Marlene put a hand to her mouth. "What about your deliveries?"

He shrugged. "My clients probably found someone else to deliver for them after I was gone for so long..." He couldn't blame them. Things needed to be delivered, and since he wasn't someone else probably would.

Zeph gazed up at Cloud. He really wasn't sure what to say, especially after last night. His guardian was a werewolf, and that had been a taxing revelation. It was still an extremely raw feeling since it had been kept from him, even if he could understand why it was. But now Cloud was going to go out and kill other werewolves, just like he did last night. Or maybe with his swords instead, Zeph reasoned. What could he say? "Good luck," he finally said.

Cloud gave him a soft smile and nodded; the scent of fear subsided a little bit to his relief. "Thanks."

Tifa finished placing the dishes of food down and took a seat. The family ate in silence for a few minutes until Marlene began talking about a subject Cloud had forgotten in the moment. "When Papa comes back to see us, are you gonna tell him, Cloud?"

Cloud almost choked on a piece of bacon. "Oh. Uh..." He looked at Tifa. "I-I forgot to mention that Reeve said Barret was on his way."

Her eyes widened. "What?" She looked at Zeph, who stared blankly at her. "Don't say anything."

"But-"

"I'll figure it out," Cloud interrupted. "I don't like hiding it, but it's something I have to do."

"Isn't Mr. Barret a really good friend of yours, though?" Zeph thought that if he could slowly grow to live with Cloud's furry little problem, Barret should be fine.

Tifa tapped the table with her fingers. "He is, but he's not always...reasonable." She didn't mean it in a bad way, it was that Barret had a way of reacting first and pondering later many a time.

Marlene shrugged. "I'll soften him up."

Denzel snorted after munching on a piece of egg. "I dunno if that'd even work right now."

The girl pouted. "Papa'll listen to me!"

Cloud rubbed his forehead with a groan. He was so dead.

* * *

"Spiky! You an' Evan were bullshittin' the WRO about killin' that mutt! How come?" Barret had showed up sometime after lunch. The large man appeared just as Cloud exited from the front door, his harness holding a mass of swords. Cloud's eyes widened under his spiky bangs as Barret approached, not so much out of surprise from his appearance but that he wasn't quite ready to die just yet.

"Um...Well, maybe I got the wrong one." He shrugged and damned his move into further lies. This was going to be a difficult day.

"It coulda gotten my Marlene last night like it got that hunter! Tifa, too! Where the hell were you, and why were they out in the slums?!" Barret was shaking his fist angrily at the warrior.

"...Zeph and Marlene wandered there while talking in the evening. We went looking for them when they hadn't returned."

Barret tapped a foot as he crossed his arms. "That hunter only saw Marlene and Tifa. Where were you?"

 _'Killing the other werewolf, of course...'_ Cloud sighed. "Maybe if your hunter friend didn't get knocked out, he would have seen me." He crossed his arms as he went down the steps and on to the street. "Anyway, Reeve asked me to go after any werewolf I can find in the city. I better get to work..."

"And how do you plan on findin' any without a hound? Just walk around, hopin' for the best?" Barret was shaking his head, thinking his friend was crazy again.

Cloud grinned weakly, a dry answer on his lips. "Guess I'll sniff them out somehow."

"Smart ass. I'm comin' with ya, can't have you out there without backup!" He lifted his metal hand up, and Cloud's grin disappeared with the news.

"What if something happened to you, do you really want me to have to explain that to Marlene? I'll be fine, really. Go visit her instead..." He motioned with his head towards the front door.

Barret shook his head. "We ain't gonna find nothin' until you decide to get one of the hounds, anyway. So, we're gonna walk around, I'll probably find something to get Marlene and the boys, then we'll head home while I get it into yo spiky head that you need to be able to track a mutt before you kill a mutt." He stared into Cloud's eyes with a withering expression.

Cloud's eyes narrowed. He considered that a challenge. "I bet you I can bag one without a stupid dog." He turned on his heel and swiftly headed towards the central plaza. Barret shouted at him to slow down, but he ignored the protest, sniffing as he went. Humans were everywhere, a background scent permeating the area. He frowned. _'If I wanted to stay hidden during the day, I'd hang out in the ruins.'_ He made his way towards the Sector Four ruins, hoping to find another there or in another sector neighboring it.

Coming closer to his destination he looked back behind his shoulder. Barret was waving and yelling at him in the distance. Cloud shook his head and walked off further from the plaza as he turned his head away. "Not interested..." The slums looked different in the day time as he made his approach, the only sounds his footsteps and clanking swords as he left Barret behind. There had to be one hidden out here...

Cloud went deeper still, finally in the slums and under the plate. He sniffed a few times, and something hit his nose just right, though it was faint. The warrior followed the scent trail, the smell growing stronger as he came nearer Sector Five. The heat grew in his chest, and he attempted to calm it; he would kill this one with his swords instead, even if he secretly wanted to taste its blood in his mouth. It was something he barely admitted to himself still.

Occasionally the scent would seem to blur with various other scents that reminded him of potpourri or gunpowder of all things, and Cloud wondered if the werewolves were starting to somehow cover their tracks; it would explain their elusiveness. Unlike Junon, Edge had an entire network of ruins and an expansive underground sewer system, and a still intact plate with who knows what residing on it. The hunters obviously stayed in Edge proper, but how could they have missed all of this with those dogs? Were they cowards?

Hearing Barret's shouting far behind him, he quickened his pace and followed the trail as best he could. Cloud knew he was getting close, going this way and that way as he went deeper, where the light barely touched the nearly abandoned shanty towns. After bending down and sniffing the ground for a few moments he continued on towards the source of the smell. It grew stronger, causing him to pant. He licked his front teeth, examining their sharp points gently with his tongue. His mind was driven towards one thing: kill the intruder. He was getting an idea of who it was; another male, slightly older than him.

Finally he found the source of the scent. It emanated from a tall shack on the border of sector five, the area deep and dark and far away from the city proper and the still in use shacks on the border with Edge. He could smell the faint scent of dry, rotting meat too, that bothered his nose. He quietly snorted and shook his head as it hit, not used to the smell. Cloud tensed as a twang of bloodthirst resonated through him; he had to take a few deep breaths through his mouth before kicking the door in to a pitch black room filled with the clutter of ruined furniture, bones, and pieces of unidentifiable things.

Cloud's glowing eyes scanned the room, and the foul mingling scents caused him to pant hard. He wanted this challenger dead so badly! Taking out First Tsurugi, the blond warrior entered the dark den and approached what could have possibly been a living space. There were piles of discarded clothing and broken furniture with dark stains on the fabric, and filthy, gnawed bones here and there. Behind him were steps leading up, and he gingerly tried a step. It creaked but held the weight of him and his swords somehow.

As he approached the top, a sharp pain went through his left bicep as dry rotted wood splintered from something smashing through it. Cloud tried making it up the last step since the narrow passage hindered his ability to swing his sword, but a large, clawed hand shoved him down the stairwell, and he tumbled downwards while breaking a step here and there with his weight and blades. One of his swords almost clipped his leg as he stumbled into a heap at the bottom. First Tsurugi gracefully caught itself in the wall of the stairwell as he tumbled, then dislodged from the soft wood with a clattering thud by his foot. Cloud let out a groan and slowly dusted off his chest.

_**"My territory, pup. Leave."** _

Cloud chuckled darkly as he picked himself up. "No. This is my territory. I'd tell you to leave, but you might be trouble later," The warrior said in a low, growling voice. He approached the steps again after picking up his main sword and tried to not let that heat of his get to him. His face felt warped in some way and Cloud knew he had to make this quick, before he ruined his clothing.

He heard the growl of the other werewolf, and prepared his stance. The steps were partially busted by Cloud's not so graceful fall, but regardless he creeped along the edges near the wall, making his way back up with more room for his right arm to wield his blade. The warrior heard shouts approaching his location; Barret somehow found him, despite trying to lose him. "Let's do this quickly," he said lowly, tensing as he made his approach again.

Cloud jumped to the second floor as a clawed hand bashed through rotted wood, and the warrior noticed the werewolf was only partially transformed in its current state. The face wasn't quite one way or another, and his clothing was clinging to an expanded torso. The claws seemed the only thing fully changed. He scoffed, and went to swing at his opponent; the bestial figure tried dodging but was cut deeply into his chest.

Enraged the werewolf roared, attempting to disarm Cloud with a backhand. The warrior simply picked up another sword from his back as his arm was batted at and sliced into the neck of the partially changed werewolf, cutting off any screams as black blood gurgled and splattered from the injury. As soon as it went to reach for the injury Cloud took First Tsurugi and sliced through the neck and any digits unfortunate enough to be in the way.

Cloud dropped to the floor unceremoniously, taking deep breaths again. Some of the blood had splattered on his face, the hot liquid slowly running down a cheek. There wasn't much, but he wiped it away with a rub of his gloved hand and licked off some of the run off as it neared his mouth. _'Guess I'm off to a good start with this new job.'_

* * *

"Spiky! What the Hell d'you think you're up to, runnin' off like that!" Barret turned on his flashlight, looking this way and that into the dilapidated, stinking shack. He had followed Cloud's heavy footprints in the dirt, caused by the weight of his swords on his feet. The creaking of wood came from above, and Barret readied his gun arm.

Several thuds bounced towards the gunman from the second floor, then a sickening thud and a rolling sound came to his ears. He turned towards the sound cautiously and swung his light towards it. Looking down, a partially transformed head stared back at him, the tongue lolling out as if mocking Barret. "Damn...Guess he did bag one," he mumbled to himself, somewhat impressed. He brought the flashlight upward as he approached the stairs, and noticed Cloud was crouched down, his face tucked into his knees and breathing heavily as his arm and shoulder covered the rest of his face.

"Y-yo! You alright?" Barret called up. The steps were too damaged for the large man to go up and check on his friend.

"...Give me a minute," Cloud mumbled through his legs, his voice hard to hear.

Barret scratched his head, then went to grab the werewolf head with a shrug. "Right. I'll be waitin' outside." He couldn't take much more of the horrible, dry stench in the shack, and wondered how Cloud could handle such a smell. Leaving, he kept the door open and rested his back against the walls of a shack opposite the door as he held the werewolf head. He examined it as he waited. The face was pushed into some sort of half muzzle with pointed teeth, and the ears extended and pointed at the sides and up a little. Not the ugliest thing he'd seen, Barret thought to himself, but still an aberration.

He was beginning to worry and wonder what was taking his friend so long, when he finally made out two glowing blue dots in the darkness of the shack. Cloud's visage appeared soon after from the door; his face was an unreadable, emotionless mask. He motioned towards the path they took, towards Edge, and Barret came to walk beside him. Cloud turned his head away to speak.

"Told you I'd nab one." His voice was low and restrained.

Barret looked over at him with a brow raised, then back at the head. "How'd you find it so fast?"

Cloud said nothing as they continued on the path, his face looking ahead. There was something off about his eyes to the gunman. He looked down, and noticed a scratch healing on the warrior's upper arm, and he grabbed it firmly, stopping them both. Cloud tried to wrench his arm away, but the gunman kept his grip firm.

"...Did you get infected in there, by that flea bitten wolf man?" Barret's voice was worried as he looked it over.

Cloud shook his head. "I fell down the steps...Must've caught on something."

"You're full of shit. That mark is too wide and clean." Barret shook his head sadly. "You should have waited for me, Spiky." His voice was solemn. "And here you were, worried about me..."

The warrior sighed, finally let go from his friend's concerned grasp. "So, what are you gonna do, shoot me?" His voice was noticeably nervous.

Barret paused. He really didn't know what to do, now that it was someone he knew. He promised himself that Marlene's safety came first, but this was hard. "Why couldn't you have just waited, instead of goin' off like some jackass to prove yourself..."

Cloud shook his head, then stared at Barret. "I'm fine, Barret." He continued walking along the trail towards Edge as if nothing happened, until he heard the cocking of his friend's gun-arm. He looked back and froze, and immediately felt he may have misjudged Barret's lament.

"Cloud..." Now it was serious, Barret wasn't using nicknames. The warrior tensed. His face was paler than usual as he looked into the barrel of his friend's gun, aimed at him from several feet away. "You ain't fine. I see you're gonna be some...sick monster soon. Maybe not right now, but...I don't want Tifa and the kids seein' you like that. Now, you're gonna come with me, and-"

Cloud sighed and looked down. "You're dense." He looked back up towards his friend. He already thought he was infected, he may as well come clean. "...How do you think I knew where that thing was?" He pointed a finger at the head Barret held. The gunman nervously shrugged, and Cloud groaned, then held his nose in his fingers. "I sniffed it out, Barret."

"...You sniffed it out?" Barret said with restrained anger in his voice, his fist shaking.

Cloud blinked, his bravado waning. "Y-yeah."

Barret was still pointing the gun-arm at him. "How long?"

"...Since a little after Marlene's birthday." The warrior swallowed hard.

The gunman looked him up and down, boring into his eyes, and something clicked. "You're the werewolf I've been after, then. Spiky blond fur, glowing blue eyes, Merle said..." He thought a moment, then shot next to Cloud, making him jump and yelp. "...You're the one that killed that hunter last Full Moon..."

Cloud was on the edge of panic now. "They didn't give me much of a choice!"

Another shot, to Cloud's other side. Some silver chip hit the swordsman, burning his arm and making him grunt. "I worried it was you. I tried denyin' it 'cause..." Barret bit his lip and huffed through his nose. "Tifa, the kids...Is this some sort of sick pleasure to you now? How long until you get bored and hurt them next!" Barret was aiming at his friend's chest now. "You aren't who you were anymore, man. I'm sorry."

Cloud had had enough of this. Getting the jump on Barret, he used his speed and strength to push him into a shack and knock his friend over through the wall before he could shoot him, then ran off back towards Edge as fast as he could; he took shortcuts through the abandoned shanty town as he heard Barret angrily yell out his name mixed with obscenities and gunshot. The sounds just made him push faster, and he found a side path that he felt would hide him until he made it back to the bar.

Avoiding the main plaza, Cloud went through the alleys behind the major buildings found there, his swords clanging and boots clomping on the hard surface. _'Always making up his mind about how things are, not thinking through everything.'_ He frowned as he charged through the alleyway, closing in on the relative safety of the bar; until Barret arrived, that was. He stopped for a few minutes to think. _'What do I do?'_ Barret still wouldn't shoot in the bar unless he actually had to. Right? There really wasn't anywhere else that would be safer. Or at least he hoped so, but what if he tried shooting regardless? No, with Tifa and the kids there Barret would have to be reasonable. _'Guess the bar'll have to do anyway.'_ Cloud made his way towards home again, but he froze when he heard a familiar clicking noise.

"This ends now, Cloud. I owe you this much." Barret aimed again, holding his gun-arm steady. The distance was further now and he wanted his shot to count. He was breathing heavily after his chase.

Cloud's eyes widened as he slowly turned towards Barret, not expecting the gunman to have gained on him so quickly. "Barret..." He tensed.

"Don't try pretendin' with me. I'll...I'll make sure everyone remembers you for who you were..." The gun was shaking.

The swordsman sighed. "What will the kids say if I come home in a body bag?!" The mention of the children made Barret shoot, and Cloud dodged as it made way for his head. It smashed into his right shoulder instead, causing him to inhumanly growl as he twisted around and charged back towards the plaza and away from his overly protective friend. "Damn!" He held his shoulder, covering the smouldering injury as blood slowly oozed from it.

He heard another shout but ignored it. His adrenaline was pushing him into the busy street where his home and family resided. Cloud pushed by some surprised pedestrians as he hoped to reach some sort of safety before Barret became reckless enough to shoot into a crowd just to kill him. The pain was slicing through his shoulder now, burning like some terrible acid and making him feel almost delirious. _'God I hope it exited, please...'_

He winced as he turned his body towards the door to the business, willing himself through the door as he opened it and running towards the almost empty bar. Tifa's face warped from one of a warm greeting into deep worry as she saw the pain in his face and the blood leaking from his shoulder. As he passed the counter and into the galley, Tifa touched his shoulder, and a sticky fluid coated her fingers. She examined her digits to see brackish red blood, then bent to look at Cloud's face. "Cloud, what happened?"

He took a few shaky breaths. "Barret..." He winced, his eyes were bloodshot.

She gasped. "Do you need help upstairs?"

He shook his head as his hand rested on the stairwell wall.

Hands on her hips, she looked towards the door. "I'll knock some sense into him."

Cloud shakily made his way up the stairs, grabbing a step at one point with his good arm. "Good luck..."

The warrior stumbled through the hallway, unceremoniously unlocking his sword harness and dumping it to the ground as he slowly made his way towards the bathroom. Soon after, he felt a little hand on his gloved hand, and he looked down into the face of a concerned Marlene. "Marlene..." he greeted, pain painted all over his face.

"Cloud, what happened?" She was trying to lead him into the bathroom; she turned on the light as she came through the door.

"Ah...I guess you could say...Your dad had a disagreement with me..." he said reluctantly. He didn't want to hurt Barret and Marlene's relationship.

The little girl gasped as she tried to help Cloud not fall into the tub as he sat on the edge of it. "Papa hurt you?" Her face was sad.

Cloud bit his lower lip. He felt bad. "He's just being protective, Marlene. He doesn't want any of you hurt..." He looked away.

"By who, you?"

"Yeah."

She frowned. "But you wouldn't do that!" Marlene stood there a moment, listening to the front door open and her father's upset voice. "I'm gonna tell him not to hurt you. You're not mean to us, Cloud." She gave the warrior a tight, reassuring hug, making him grunt as he crouched on the tub's edge. He rubbed her back and gave a small, pained smile to the child before she departed.

A few minutes later, Denzel and Zeph gingerly opened up the bathroom door as Cloud tried to clean the weeping wound by the sink, his chest bare of clothing save his necklaced ring and his side sash off and to the side. He looked back at them pathetically, then went back to the sink in an attempt at rinsing the wound out. He hissed from the contact with water.

Denzel spoke up. "Do you need some help? It's hard with only one hand." He came forward.

Cloud paused and looked at the no longer smoking injury while rubbing the side of his face. "Please." He sat in the middle of the bathroom, tipping his head to the side slightly. "How does the other side look?"

Denzel whispered something to Zeph, and the blond haired boy disappeared. Denzel approached behind Cloud, examining the slowly flowing wound on the back of his shoulder. It looked raw and blistering in some parts. "Looks kinda ugly." He pat Cloud's back on the side without injury. "Don't worry, Zeph is getting some potions and bandages for you."

Cloud gave a soft grunt in thanks, then heard yelling beneath them. "Might not be worth it if Barret decides to barge in here and finish me." Denzel frowned at the comment, looking towards the door warily. He didn't want anymore people in his life to die.

* * *

The bar had been emptied of the two patrons Tifa had fed and she locked the door, listening as Barret tapped his foot furiously on the floor. He hadn't barged upstairs and killed the monster his friend had become because of Tifa's deadly threat to him minutes ago. "It's just a matter of time 'til he lets up his little act and eats you all, or changes you..."

Tifa's brow lowered as she scowled at him. "No, he will not."

"You haven't seen the things they do! I get to see it all the time in Junon these days..."

Tifa sighed. "I was there when Cloud assaulted Valdt's place. I'm well aware of what they're capable of..." She shuddered, remembering the sewer. "Don't put Cloud in the same pile as them."

"Papa!" A stern little voice cried out from behind the bar. Stomping over to meet him was Marlene, fists on her hips. "Why'd you hurt Cloud? He wouldn't hurt you, would he?"

"It's not Cloud anymore, he's a monster now!" Barret shouted. Marlene winced and hid behind Tifa. The big man frowned, regretting his tone of voice. "Sorry, baby girl. But Papa wants to keep you safe."

"Barret!" Tifa was clenching her teeth, and her fists were squeezed hard at her sides. "I know Cloud...And maybe his body isn't...normal anymore, but...It's still him."

"Cloud saved us last night from the other werewolf!" Marlene insisted.

Barret shook his head. "Yeah, he could still just be savin' you for later..." Still, he was hoping for something concrete from the two, anything that would stop him from slaying an old friend. He didn't want this at all.

Tifa looked down and rubbed her ring. "We aren't afraid of him...He's never done anything to any of us, and he's had chances to do that. A lot of chances."

Barret shook his head. "I can't trust him with the kids..."

"Uncle Nanaki trusts Cloud," Marlene said defiantly.

The large man stomped a foot. "I bet he don't know what Cloud's capable of!" His face was a mess of anger and worry.

Tifa sighed, and an idea came to mind. "Cloud said he was going to hunt werewolves in the city, right?" she asked, looking up at him.

Barret nodded. He told Tifa what happened that afternoon and what lead to the confrontation in the first place. Tifa nodded slowly as he finished.

"None of us saw you, you know. We didn't know you were here until Cloud came in with a bullet wound through his shoulder," Tifa said sternly. "If he really was as ruthless a monster as you want us to think, he could have just killed you out there...and no one would have known it was him who did it."

Barret thought about her argument for a few moments. The slums they had gone through were virtually uninhabited, except for some of the shanties closest to Edge. He sighed. "I just don't want..."

"Papa, he's not gonna hurt us. He's been keeping us safe!" Marlene said, a sad look to her face. "That's what you wanted him to do, right?"

"Fine! I ain't gonna kill him, not yet, anyway. I'm stayin' for a bit, and if he sets one foot out of line, I'm baggin' his spiky ass!" Barret stomped past the two, and made his way upstairs. As he made it to the top he noticed the bathroom door was open and filled with light, and Cloud's swords were dumped on the ground. He walked through the hall, towards the lit room where he heard the sound of familiar voices.

He poked his head through, and the three occupants looked up at him; Denzel and Zeph were almost finished with their work on Cloud's shoulder injury, wrapping it up with bandages soaked in the ochre fluid of a hi-potion. Cloud was looking up at him, a defeated look on his face.

"...Here to finish the job?" he asked dryly, his face wincing from the burn of the potion on his raw flesh.

Barret stared at him for a few moments with a deep frown on his face. "I'm watchin' you, Spiky. If I see one thing outta place on the kids or Tifa, I'm huntin' you down."

"If I do anything to them, I'll search for you myself," Cloud responded, slowly getting up from the white tile floor. He looked down at the children before rubbing his nose in an attempt to clear the organ of the smell of fear that seemed to be coming from just about everywhere.

As Barret went back down the stairs, Cloud let out a heavy sigh. "Thanks, guys. My injury feels a lot better." He ran his hand through his spiky bangs and closing his eyes.

Denzel rubbed the back of his head, a cheesy smile on his face. "Marlene taught me some from the last time you needed help!"

Zeph simply nodded back at the thanks, observing Cloud.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon wasn't nearly as dramatic, but almost as tense. Barret wouldn't let the children out of his sight after they returned to their rooms, and Cloud took a nap as his wound attempted to heal. He promised Zeph that he would spar with him as soon as he healed. Tifa continued as usual in the bar, though the afternoon was a little slow.

During a lull in business, she decided to close early. The argument had drained her desire to bartend for the evening. She looked through the fridge in the galley, wondering if she had enough food now that there was an extra person to feed. Sighing, Tifa moved towards the freezer and remembered that there was a larger casserole awaiting consumption. She took it out and preheated the oven, then went back to the fridge for the leftover soup she had made the day before.

As she heated it up in the microwave, Tifa listened upstairs to the sound of Barret and the children speaking here and there. A beep sounded and she checked the soup. She swirled a spoon in it and felt the heat travel into the handle. Before taking the bowl out of the microwave she placed the casserole in the oven, then scooped up the soup and went upstairs.

The hallway was dim, and the bedroom in front of her was dimmer from the blinds and curtains covering the windows though some light from a setting sun making it through. Cloud laid upon the bed bare chested, his blue eyes peeking open at the sound of Tifa's footfalls. She gave him a smile as she entered the dark room to sit by his side after she moved the chair in the corner towards the bed. She looked at the gauze covered injury, then back into Cloud's eyes.

"Looks like the boys did a really good job fixing you up." She stirred the bowls contents.

Cloud nodded. His face expressed his pain and anxiety in the dim light. Tifa shifted the bowl to her other hand, and ran her fingers through his hair to calm him. He closed his eyes, giving out a little hum as she began rubbing, soothing his mind.

"Did you want to skip dinner?" she asked him.

"I...Maybe. I kinda just want to rest." He frowned despite the bliss of Tifa's fingers running along his scalp.

Tifa nodded. "Still, you should eat something...Here, it's some leftover soup."

Cloud sat up on the bed with a grunt. He took the bowl from Tifa and looked over the contents. It was a test soup from a couple of days ago; Tifa had wanted to see what flavors he would enjoy now. This one was made with bone marrow and herbs with meat, and it had been growing on him as he sampled it. "Thanks, Teef."

She sat next to him as he ate, discussing Zeph's readiness for school next month and purchasing new fall clothing later in the month. Cloud listened here and there, appreciating Tifa's attempt to take his mind off his afternoon mishap. Finally finished with the soup, he gave back the bowl slowly with a sigh.

"D'you think Barret's gonna shoot me in my sleep?"

Tifa couldn't tell if he was joking or not, and she looked down at the bowl. "...I don't think so."

"He keeps looking at me like he will."

Tifa looked up at Cloud, then looked in the direction he was lazily staring. Barret was looking from the door to the children's room, directly at Cloud. The warrior sighed before plopping back down onto his pillow, grunting as his wound hit the mattress.


	28. Bonding

The evening meal had been uncomfortable for the five at the table. Tifa served everyone their food before sitting down in her seat, her shoulders stiff as she leaned in to take a bite of her food. The children were quiet and Barret was stabbing at a large flat noodle on his plate. 

"Puttin' the kids in danger like this..." he grumbled under his breath.

"Barret," Tifa warned in a clipped voice. She glanced at Cloud's empty seat.

"You could've killed Cloud," Denzel reprimanded harshly. He had mostly kept quiet after patching up Cloud, darting into the bedroom once to ask how he was doing before Barret stomped up the stairs. Cloud reassured him that he would be alright, and told him his patch up job on the bullet wound made him feel a lot better. Denzel wasn't sure if that was true or not, but he didn't have time to contest it after Cloud told him he was going to nap. He had stewed a bit in his room as Marlene argued with Barret before dinner.

Barret's dark eyes moved to meet Denzel. "He could kill you all."

"But...he hasn't," Zeph countered quietly. 

Tifa huffed noisily and glared at Barret. "Let's eat and not talk about this right now." She was pleasantly surprised Zeph defended Cloud, that was a good sign. But right now, Tifa wanted Barret to calm down further before the situation possibly escalated. Marlene had already told her how he was close to just spiriting her away to Junon, and how she had also retorted that she would just take a ferry back to Edge by herself if he took her away from everyone.

Marlene loved her father, but he made this her home years ago.

A low rumble came from somewhere faraway, and Denzel stiffened as he slurped up some noodles. Zeph noticed and furrowed his brow. Denzel eyed him, then his plate. He was hoping the weatherman on the radio was wrong, that the storm would just glance the city. A gust of wind rattling the door and windows squashed that hope.

They finished their meal quietly, the summer heat barely banished by the ceiling fans. The sound of thunder grew louder with every clap, and Denzel shuddered. He hated storms. When he was in Triple S he had watched several members dying of Geostigma during a particularly fierce late spring storm, the thunderclaps and bursts of light adding to the trauma of watching a young friend gurgling on their own black pus as convulsions that took place before death jerked them about in the filthy mud. Storms reminded him of those dark days, and how close he himself came to the same fate.

Cloud and Tifa had been slowly helping him ease out of that association. As he went up the stairs his eyes searched the bedroom at the end of the hall, looking for a glimmer of blue. He looked pleadingly into Tifa's eyes; he wanted to sleep next to them during the storm. Her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Please, Tifa?"

She looked at Barret, then Denzel. "If you need to sleep next to us, that's fine."

"No, they're sleepin' away from him!" Barret protested. His arms were crossed and he was giving Tifa a firm glare. 

Thunder sounded again, and the wind was whistling through the street. Then all of a sudden the rain began, as if a sheet of water was dropped on Seventh Heaven. Tifa narrowed her eyes. "Denzel has problems dealing with storms, Barret. _We_ will keep him safe." She gave Denzel a gentle push towards the end of the hall. "You still have to brush your teeth, sweetie."

Barret pointed a finger at his friend. "You gonna risk your boy's life—"

Denzel stomped over to him. "Stop being mean to Cloud! If everyone else is alright with it, maybe you should be, too!" He turned about, then disappeared into the bathroom.

"Papa, you need to be nicer. I told you we're all okay!" Marlene said with a roll of her eyes.

Tifa sighed, and Barret shook his head. "These two are stayin' with me tonight."

"You're overreacting, Barret," she said. Her voice was raised, the sound of heavy rain on the roof was making it difficult to speak normally.

Barret snorted. "One of these days you're gonna end up with a bite mark on you, if he doesn't decide to snack on you instead," he said as he ushered Marlene into the bedroom.

"...I can hear you, Barret," Cloud called out in an annoyed voice from the bedroom he rested in. The big man shrugged, then motioned to Zeph to enter the bedroom. He reluctantly did so, giving Tifa an apologetic look before entering. The door closed and locked, and that was that.

Tifa went to her bedroom and laid on her side. She held onto Cloud's arm, a grumpy look on her face as he turned his head to look at her. "Maybe he won't shoot me tonight after all," he said softly, his voice barely heard over the din of thunder.

Tifa didn't say anything, but held onto Cloud's arm tighter and pressed her forehead to his bicep. He reached with his right hand to brush away a few stray hairs that fell across her eye, then rubbed her cheek with his thumb. Tifa sighed and closed her eyes. "He better not."

"He had to come at the worse possible time...Zeph finds out about me, then a thunderstorm." Almost as if in response, a wind gust slammed into the domicile, rattling the windows. He frowned.

"I'm hoping he doesn't poison the well with Zeph, he's still just trying to process everything that happened yesterday," Tifa said, exasperated.

Cloud let out a sigh. "Right." He shifted his back a little, then closed his eyes. A few moments later he felt someone crawling onto the bed. He peeked his eyes open and moved his head to see Tifa moving away from him and Denzel laying down between them. He faced Cloud. "Hey, buddy. How're you feeling?"

Denzel shrugged his shoulder and looked down. He smelled anxious. "I'm okay."

Cloud moved his right arm again despite the ache in his shoulder, and pat Denzel on his exposed arm. "It'll die down eventually." He was sure that wasn't the only reason Denzel was anxious tonight. Usually he calmed down when he was with them.

"It's going to be a long day tomorrow, Denzel. Try and get some rest," Tifa said in a soothing voice.

The boy nodded before getting comfortable between his guardians. Cloud sighed through his nose; the day and the wound had taken their toll on him, and now he just wanted to sleep. The rain helped lull him into more pleasant realities than his own.

* * *

"...Are you alright, Denzel?" Cloud was slowly sipping his coffee while ignoring Barret's eyes burning into his forehead diagonally from across the table. He scratched his head near a stray spike. His bed head was particularly bad that morning, despite barely moving in his sleep. He woke up to the smell of Tifa's cooking and an awake Denzel rubbing his face anxiously. He looked like he had barely slept during the night.

Denzel shrugged while wearing a depressed, tired look on his face. "The, uh, storm kept me up." And Barret, with his threats of tearing Marlene from the house. That wouldn't stop going through his head. She was as good as his sister now, and he didn't like the thought of the family being picked apart over nothing.

Cloud grunted. He sported a sympathetic look on his face. "If you need to nap after breakfast, go ahead. I'll be training you two and Vits this afternoon." Denzel's eyes lit up, as did Zeph's when he heard the news. Barret made a disapproving noise, and Cloud ignored him yet again.

"But, what about your shoulder?" Zeph asked.

Cloud shrugged. "I can handle it. You guys still gotta work on your defense." He glanced at Barret, then went back to his coffee. He felt like a prisoner in his own house, and that he was being judged worthy or not of existence by his own friend. One move Barret really didn't like, and he gets shot. The whole thing was rather irksome to Cloud, not to mention a bit heart-wrenching; he and Barret were close enough that he would entrust him to help raise Marlene. He wondered how much that counted for now.

Tifa came to the table while holding several platters of food, placing them down in front of the children first. Then she returned to the galley for a moment and came back with food for the adults. Cloud began to dig in after a "Thank you", ravenous after only soup the night before. Barret ate his pancakes quietly but watched Cloud, the blond haired man scarfing down the omelette on his dish with gusto.

After breakfast the children helped with the dishes, and Cloud took a shower with the hopes of taming his splayed spikes. It felt like a normal morning, except he had someone in the house ready to kill him; he tried to scrub away the irritation with soap and hot water. He grimaced as the hot water soaked his bandages and stung the raw flesh underneath. After nearly scrubbing himself raw and leaving the shower with a heavy sigh, he tried to fix his spikes with the hair dryer with some success. Yesterday's stress still showed in his eyes and stubborn any locks that refused to stay in place.

He peeled away the wet bandages that clung loosely to his shoulder to dump them in the trash, then pinched off a piece of blackened skin that tore off with a small tug. He examined it before depositing the dark flake into the trash bin with the bandages. More had been peeled off yesterday before the potions were rubbed into the pink flesh underneath, and it had stung like a thousand marsh gnats as his potion-slicked fingers smeared the wound. Denzel had been gentle but firm with the bandages afterwards. Denzel was always trying to help, Cloud mused in his head as he shuffled into his boxers and then his pants.

As he left the bathroom bare chested and his hair still moist, Tifa came up the stairs while holding bandages and potions in her arms. He turned around to look at her, and he raised his brows as he glanced at the pile of supplies she carried. Of course, he needed new bandages still. He nodded as she came close, then followed behind her through the hallway. They went to their bedroom and closed the door behind them.

Cloud sat at the edge of the bed, glancing at his exposed shoulder in the mirror on the door as Tifa unwrapped the gauze; it looked better than yesterday, he thought to himself. There was still a little blood rimming the pink hole, which was circled by that familiar crusty, flaking black skin. Tifa pat the area dry of any left over water, the towel dry and making the wound ache. He winced as she rubbed the injury with a hi-potion, though the burn and tingle from it indicated that it was indeed working. She soaked some folded gauze, then placed it over the front hole.

"Hold this, please," Tifa asked. He did as she wanted. She made Cloud bend over a little so she could pour some of the potion into the wound and then covered that side, too, with soaked gauze. She then firmly wrapped the wound in fresh bandages, making sure they'd stay put. Done, Tifa put her hands on his shoulders, looking at him in the mirror. "All done, Cloud." She gave him a small smile.

Cloud moved his shoulder a little, feeling the healing ache as the potion went to work. "Thanks, Teef." He turned to kiss her cheek as Tifa rubbed the back of his head. He sighed. "I'm gonna give Fenrir a test drive, I haven't driven him in a while." He picked up his shirt and necklace, putting them on, then reached for his trusty boots and zipped them up.

Tifa gave a nod. "I still have some things to clean up before I open up the bar. I'll see you around lunch, okay?" She slid off the bed and brushed her hand over his good shoulder before giving it a squeeze. Collecting the pile of gauze and potions, Tifa left the room. Cloud rose up after her, his footfalls echoing in the hallway. He paused at the door to Denzel and Marlene's room, and decided to check on Denzel; he opened the door as quietly as he could. He noticed as his eyes glanced downward that there was a nest of blankets and pillows near the door, where Barret had presumably slept. Looking up again, he saw Denzel laying on his bed, his back to the warrior and his breaths even. Cloud was unsure if he was asleep just yet.

After a few moments of observation Cloud softly closed the door and was about to head downstairs when he almost walked into Barret.His large, muscly friend had obviously been watching him observing the boy as he slept. His arms were crossed over his large chest, and his eyes were staring accusingly into Cloud's with a hawkish gaze. "Plannin' somethin'?"

Cloud narrowed his eyes. "I'm checkin' on Denzel," he said quietly, trying not to wake the boy.

Barret shook his head. "You don't need to be snoopin' on the kids like some kinda—"

The warrior tensed his jaw as Barret spoke, then suddenly interrupted him. "Look Barret, this is _my_ home, and Denzel is _my_ son—" He shook his head and his eyes widened. "I-I mean kid..." He swallowed hard and looked down, surprised at what he had just said. Before Barret could speak again he bolted towards the stairs, his ears ringing. _'Why did I say that...I'm not Denzel's father. I'm just his guardian.'_ He rambled and rationalized in his mind as he descended the steps and went through the door to the garage.

He made his way towards Fenrir, sliding his gloved fingers over the surface and checking the gauges to make sure everything was alright. It helped clear his fluttering mind. As he put his leg over the bike the garage light switched on and he squeezed his eyes shut while letting out a low little groan.

"S-sorry, Cloud." It was Zeph.

"Hey, Zeph. Everything alright?" Cloud's eyes adjusted to the light. He observed Zeph's slightly fearful face, as if he had done something wrong. The warrior frowned at the boy.

"I just came in to practice a little..."

Cloud raised his brow. "Practice before practice?" He didn't believe him.

Zeph came forward with a sigh on his lips. "Barret's being..."

"Suffocating?" Cloud offered, and Zeph nodded enthusiastically. He looked down at his bike, and a smile formed on his face; he looked back at his ward. Zeph was unsure about the expression on his guardian's face. "I've felt the same way. Wanna ride?"

Zeph blinked. Cloud hadn't offered to have him ride on Fenrir yet. "Really?" His wide green eyes almost sparkled. Then he remembered Barret's angry words last night during the storm, which reminded him that despite the friendly exterior, Cloud was still a werewolf. He looked away, his expression dropping as the thought put a damper to his enthusiasm. "Maybe I shouldn't..."

Cloud cocked his head, a quizzical look forming on his face, and then it hit him: Zeph was still trying to cope. "Oh, right," he said uncomfortably. "Sorry...I forgot about all that." He looked down and mentally kicked himself for offering the skittish boy a ride.

Zeph looked back up at Cloud while readjusting the band on his forehead. "You forgot already?"

"Yesterday was kind of exciting..." Cloud said as he reached for his goggles.

 _'That's right,'_ Zeph thought. _'Barret shot him, and he killed another werewolf, too.'_ He fidgeted, torn between staying definitely safe and totally bored in the bar and being absolutely thrilled on a motorcycle ride with a werewolf. But, he did know this werewolf. Would it be so bad? "Where will you go?"

Goggles covered Cloud's blue eyes, and the garage door began to open. "Outside the Midgar Wastes. I'd like to see grass again for a bit."

There were patches of grass in some of the parks in the city, but he'd never seen what was outside the dead wastes of Midgar. The thought of seeing it tempted him terribly. Zeph's heart raced with indecision; If he hadn't known about Cloud's secret, would he have gone? He knew he would have, and he knew he would have came home safe, right? This was Cloud, not Valdt. This werewolf slayed Valdt and a couple of other werewolves. Seeing him the other night still haunted him, however. Maybe he could compromise between his desire for adventure and his fear, instead. "Can I bring my sword with me?" It wouldn't do much against the man training him how to use it, but he'd feel safer with some silver near him.

Cloud snorted. He lowered his head and held his hand to his face. "Yeah."

Zeph ran towards his sword, then tied it to his belt and before making his way towards Cloud and the bike. The spiky haired warrior pat the area behind him, and Zeph accepted the offer, using Cloud's good arm as leverage to get behind him. "Hang on to me." Zeph did as he was told, wrapping his arms snugly around Cloud, wary but excited. He was holding onto a werewolf on a motorcycle; the thought was more surreal than the actual scene. Cloud turned on Fenrir and backed it out of the garage as the door slid completely open, and soon they were zooming on the meandering streets of Edge.

At first Cloud went slowly through the city, going this way and that way while avoiding pedestrians as Zeph looked about the bustling city he was familiar with. Then, he began to speed up as they reached the outskirts of Edge, traveling towards Kalm. Zeph tightened his hold, making sure he was firmly connected to the driver. He looked to the side, noticing how dead the wastes looked even in the morning sun, patches of standing water here and there from the recent storm. It was the hues of brown he was used to staring at, with a patch of green and yellow here and there.

After a while, a change took hold of the environment, and the boy gasped; the wastes opened up into endless fields of lush green grass and wildflowers, contrasting a blue sky speckled with puffy white clouds. Soon after they left the Midgar Wastes Cloud parked his bike off of the side of the road, near a green hill. He hopped off his bike, then helped the child off. He grinned at Zeph's reaction to nature untouched by mako energy sucking away its life like a vampire.

Cloud took off his goggles. "Nice, huh?"

Zeph nodded, still looking around with a gaping mouth. Cloud went up to the hill and climbed to its top with Zeph following close behind in a bid to see more. They reached the top quickly. A breeze puffed by, bringing new scents to Zeph; it was filled with the scent of grasses and flowers, running water and fertile dirt. The view from the top of the relatively small hill took his breath away, with endless plains and hills of rippling green under a blue sky. "...This is what's outside the city?" He eyed a lone tree in the distance, with birds coming to rest or depart on its branches.

"Yeah." Cloud sat down cross legged on the grass and enjoyed the view. A memory came to him as he looked over at Zeph, of another person just as dumbfounded...

Zeph sat there, still wide eyed from all the new things he could see. After a few minutes he looked towards Cloud, who sat only a foot away. He was silently observing the area in front of him, his nose flaring subtly as another gentle wind passed them by. Cloud seemed to take notice that the boy was looking at him and turned to meet his gaze with a raised brow. Zeph opened his mouth to say something, but instead couldn't find his voice, unsure how to start a conversation with the warrior.

"What's wrong?" Cloud frowned.

"N-Nothing..." Zeph shifted on the ground uncomfortably.

Cloud sighed. "Are you really so afraid of me? You came out here to the middle of nowhere with me, right?" His voice hinted at how tired he was of being feared.

Zeph finally realized that his excitement at such an offer to finally see the lands beyond the Wastes had overridden his good sense, and now he was far away from home with Cloud, a werewolf, sitting right next to him, in the wilderness. "...Barret said you were just acting nice, and you were gonna eat us someday." He kept his hand to his sword, just in case.

Cloud's eyes narrowed, sending shivers down the boy's spine. "Then why'd you come, if you think I'm just acting..." He looked away, agitated that his overprotective friend really did poison the well last night.

"I-I don't think that. It's just hard to get it out of my head. Marlene and Denzel said you can't act, anyway." His face was red.

Cloud snorted at the remark as his face softened, the child jumping from the noise. "I'm good at fightin' stuff, not acting." He scratched the back of his head. "A good actor wouldn't have their family know their stupid secret," Cloud grumbled.

Zeph let himself smile a little. "That's what Denzel said about you before dinner." He breathed in some of the clean, grassy air he couldn't get enough of, relaxing his hand off the hilt of his sword. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to come.

Cloud smiled lightly at the remark Denzel made about him. He wanted to change the subject, and looked back at Zeph. "Do you still feel guilty about living with us?"

"Um, not as much." Zeph shook his head.

Cloud nodded. "Good. Don't let it eat at you..." he said heavily. _'Like it did to me.'_

Zeph nodded back, then looked towards the distant horizon. "Marlene said I'm too much like you sometimes."

"...Maybe." He looked away again, deciding not to elaborate.

Zeph stared out at the sea of green and blue in front of him, the two silent as they enjoyed the sun's warmth over their skin and the light breeze that blew away some of the humidity that came from their proximity to a creek. He scratched his arm as a million different questions formed in his head that he wished to ask Cloud, now that they were alone and he wasn't completely filled with dread. Finally, he awkwardly blurted out, "Do you like being a werewolf?" and just as quickly covered his mouth with both hands, his face paling.

Cloud looked at Zeph, his cheeks turning red and an uncomfortable look growing on his face. "...I really don't know. I guess it's not the worst thing in the world to be..." He seemed to be deep in thought to the boy, his eyes downward and brow furrowed. "...Maybe it was for the best." He nodded at his conclusion, raising his eyes back up to his ward.

Zeph gave a frown. "For the best? How?"

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Cloud hummed and faced his body towards the child while resting back on his good arm and a leg splayed out in front of him, blinking a few times to collect his thoughts. "You know how you were rescued, right?"

__

Zeph nodded. "You and Tifa and your friends came to kill Valdt." He had kept his head down most of the fight, but remembered the yelling and the sounds of weapons and guns.

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"Right. You know we were there because we caught Valdt's trail from Evan's house, when he kidnapped Vits. Well, before that, he tried to have his henchmen kidnap my friend Yuffie...And I didn't like that too much."

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"I heard about that." Denzel and Marlene had told him that Cloud had 'beaten up the bad guys that attacked Aunt Yuffie' a while ago, but said he was just lucky he came across the fight.

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Cloud nodded. "Tifa and I had been waiting for Yuffie to come back from her shopping spree, but I picked up the sounds of a fight..." He gently rubbed his ear. "Then I caught her scent..." He poked the tip of his nose.

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Zeph's eyes widened. "So you found her, and then what? Did you beat up the bad guys?"

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Cloud turned his head. "Well, I...killed them." He looked back, the boy fearful again, and he frowned. "You'd do it too, if you heard the things they said they'd do to your friend. Anyway, if I hadn't found Yuffie, they would've kidnapped her. We wouldn't have found Valdt, either."

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"What about Nanaki? He could have caught him."

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Cloud shook his head. "Valdt wasn't there and Nanaki came to visit some time later. Maybe catch his underlings and then him, but it would have taken longer if we had caught him at all." He looked down, thinking. "Actually, he caught my scent at one of his offices, and thought it was Evan's..." The warrior still wasn't sure why Valdt's scent wasn't at the office that night, unless he hadn't been there for an extended period of time. "It's why he went after Vits."

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Zeph looked puzzled. "Why'd he think your scent was Evan's?"

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Cloud looked up at Zeph again. "I...stalked him as he snooped around." The boy knotted his brows together, and Cloud added more. "Evan can't fight," he said with a shy grin.

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Zeph looked down at his lap, processing everything he had heard. He looked back up, Cloud was patiently regarding him. If Cloud hadn't been a werewolf, he figured he would have died in a fashion similar to his sister. His mind went back to the night he woke up in a warm bed, and he met the warrior for the first time; he had stayed next to him, introducing himself patiently to the confused boy.

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_'We can't make you stay, but you're welcome to stay with us if you want.'_

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Another thought, to the day he agreed to teach him how to fight, even though it was silver weapons; Zeph now knew how dangerous the lessons had been to Cloud.

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_'I think you guys are too young for this...But...If it keeps you safe.'_

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Then back to all the times he or Tifa would sit by his bed when he had a nightmare, helping him process his thoughts.

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_'Just keep it in mind. And if you need us because it still hurts, just ask us to listen.'_

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Looking to his side he squinted his eyes, remembering it all, from the support and meals to dramatic rescues in the night time slums. "Why did you go out of your way for me..." Zeph whispered.

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Cloud sighed. "Because you're part of our family now." He looked away, moving his body to again sit facing the scenery. "...Even if you're scared of me, that didn't change."

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He felt Zeph scoot closer as he let out a sniffle. "Thank you, Cloud." His voice was wavering and sincere.

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He looked down at Zeph as blush creeped onto his cheeks. "A-anyway, enough of this...It's your first time out here. You should enjoy it, don't you think?" Zeph nodded, wiping at his nose and smiling. "Yeah." He picked himself up before charging down the hill. Cloud smiled as the boy enjoyed this new and green place that was full of life.

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Zeph took his time exploring as Cloud watched him from his perch on the hill. Sometimes Zeph would look up towards his guardian, and the last time he looked Cloud had a stern expression marring his face as he tapped on his phone; he assumed it was either Barret or Tifa calling him. Zeph made his way towards a nearby creek and gawked as he eyed some fat, lazy frogs glistening in the clear, sparkling waters. It was the first time he had ever seen them outside of a book, and he was totally going to catch one.

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* * *

Cloud sighed heavily, eyeing Zeph as he explored and clicking the accept button on his phone before bringing it too his ear. "Hey, Barret—"

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"Where the hell is Zeph?" Barret shouted into the phone, and Cloud yanked it away from his ear with a grimace.

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Cloud brought the phone back to his ear after a second, then snorted into the receiver. "He's with me."

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"What'd you do with him?" The accusation in Barret's voice made Cloud's blood boil, and he sucked in a breath.

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"I took him for a ride outside of the Midgar Wastes. He's fine." He eyed the child. Zeph was attempting to catch a frog as mud coated his sandals. _'Guess he'll need to shower before practice,'_ Cloud thought to himself.

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"Why'd you take him out there like that!? Cloud, if one thing is outta place on that boy..."

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"Will you stop treating me like a damned monster? I'm tryin' to bond with Zeph, not eat him," Cloud snapped back as he watched his ward. Zeph had finally captured a frog, and turned his head to give a big grin to the fuming warrior. Cloud quickly smiled back, Zeph's triumph momentarily lifting his mood.

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"You best get back, and soon!" Barret sounded upset and nervous.

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"We'll get back when we're done," Cloud said flatly. "Bye." He heard Barret yelling again as he ended the call, and he sighed through his nose. Zeph was coming up the hill with his chubby prize in hand, and Cloud grinned at the sight. The frog protested against its captor, giving a low croak and sluggishly struggling in Zeph's hands. "You caught a big one!"

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The blond boy smiled wildly, a look the warrior hadn't seen on him ever. It was like he was just a kid again, with no pessimistic backstory, no werewolves. Cloud brought his phone up, snapping a picture of the carefree scene and sending it to Tifa. Zeph raised the frog towards him, a hopeful glimmer in his jade eyes. "Can I keep it?"

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Cloud let out a laugh and shook his head. "Sorry, Zeph. There's no way we could take care of it, and Tifa'd kill me if I brought it in the house." Zeph looked a little down, and Cloud shook his head again before rising up from where he sat. He put his phone in his back pocket, then pat Zeph's shoulder. "Let's take him back to his family. Okay?"

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Zeph nodded. "Okay." They made their way back towards the creek, the grass tickling the young boy's heels as he struggled to keep the bloated green frog in his hands. As they approached the creek he slipped upon a patch of slick wet grass, releasing the bloated amphibian into the air as Cloud went catch him. He grunted as he strained on his right arm to lift the boy.

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"I guess that's one way to bring him back to his home," Cloud said, wincing a bit from the still healing wound in his shoulder as a splash came from the creek. He helped Zeph regain his footing with a small smile. Zeph looked up at him apologetically, looking at Cloud's wrapped shoulder and then into his face.

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"Sorry..."

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"For what? You didn't do anything wrong."

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Before Zeph could reply, a strange noise garbled into their ears; Cloud immediately turned around with the boy behind him, looking about. He sniffed silently, pinpointing the source of the sound almost immediately: It was a group of Mandragoras. The warrior relaxed, and weakly chuckled. "It's okay, it's just Mandragoras. They don't attack unless you hurt them first."

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Zeph peeked out from behind Cloud. "Mandragoras?" They looked like tall clusters of grass with little yellow eyes staring back from their bulbous bottoms. Occasionally they'd make a strange sound as they communicated with each other. "Neat."

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Cloud reached for Zeph's hand and took it in his own. "Maybe we should go back now, before anything else shows up." Zeph nodded after a few moments, and they took off for the hill, leaving the creek behind. They began to converse again, and Cloud was happy Zeph was opening up to him again.

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* * *

Tifa quickly set up a small lunch of sandwiches and fruit for the family. Cloud had explained to Tifa before that he was alright with scarfing down sandwiches and the like if it put less trouble on her shoulders, though she could see the discomfort on his face if he had to eat too many starchy or carby foods. She usually would try to make it up to him later with a dish he would really like, and sometimes he would bring back meat from a place he had delivered to. Tifa supposed that wouldn't happen as often now, but Edge now imported a variety of foodstuffs from other parts of the world. Cloud would be perfectly fine, she reasoned.

She looked at the clock; it was almost eleven thirty, and she yawned as she rubbed an eye. Barret had gone out to take a walk with Marlene after angrily inquiring where Zeph was to Cloud on the phone, and Tifa had to show him the picture she had been sent to calm her agitated friend. Denzel was still sleeping, and Tifa figured she should wake him up before he slept the day away.

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She walked up to the bedroom and opened the door quietly. "Denzel?" The boy moved about and stretched before flipping over to meet Tifa's eyes. He blinked as if to ask what she wanted. "Lunch is almost ready."

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Denzel yawned, then shuffled out of bed slowly. "Okay."

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She left the room and went back downstairs. As she reached the bottom of the stairs she heard the sound of Cloud's bike coming closer, the sound reverberating in the walls as he entered the garage before he shut Fenrir off. Right after Tifa entered the galley Barret and Marlene appeared through the front door, and the on edge man marched towards the garage with Tifa right behind him as Marlene stood uncomfortably in the middle of the bar, holding a cat-like doll. She looked down at it, and it looked up at her.

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"I think Papa and Cloud are gonna get into a fight again," she said.

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Cait Sith shook his head disapprovingly. "Thae need tae stoop an' have a heart tae heart, like aye saed!"

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The little girl nodded, then ran towards the garage to watch the adults.

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"Barret...Will you just stop already?" Tifa's exasperated voice sighed out as Marlene came to the door. She peeked in to see Tifa facing her father, her hands on her hips. Barret was shaking his fist towards Cloud, who to her surprise had Zeph willingly clinging to his hand.

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Barret pointed a finger at the werewolf. "We're havin' a talk later, so don't try goin' nowhere!"

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Cloud sighed. "Fine. Just leave me the hell alone for the rest of the day." He walked towards the door to the bar with Zeph following behind him. Tifa looked down at his feet and remembered the picture Cloud had sent. She gasped and her eyes widened.

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"Zeph! Get back here! Your feet are filthy..." The boy did as she asked, her hand taking his. She brought him to the floor basin to wash his feet of caked on mud.

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"What— Oh. Hey, Marlene." Cloud greeted her, his eyes softening. He hadn't noticed her presence near the door.

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"You best not be botherin' my baby girl!" Barret shouted. Cloud noisily sighed, and gave Marlene a tired look. She took his hand and led him towards the bar.

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"Sorry, Cloud. Papa's still upset." She looked at him sadly.

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"Ye both should git taegether an' have a few drinks!" Cait Sith chirped from Marlene's arm.

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"Long time, no see, Cait," Cloud said to the robotic cat. "Storm slow down your arrival?"

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Cait Sith nodded. "It wae bad! But here I am, weatherin' another storm."

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Cloud snorted, then looked around and frowned. "Where's Denzel?"

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Marlene shrugged. "Still in bed?" She sat at her usual place at the table. Made his way beyond the counter and towards the stairs; he bumped into a fully dressed Denzel as he descended the final step into the galley. Cloud looked at him awkwardly, wondering if he had heard his words earlier.

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"Hey, Denzel. Did you sleep well?"

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He nodded, his wavy brown hair shaking with the motion. Cloud gave a slight nod of his own, his hand on Denzel's shoulder as they came towards the table and sat while waiting for the others for an awkward lunch before the boys practiced.

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* * *

"You could have warned me he was here earlier," Evan quietly hissed towards Cloud as Barret drilled a hole into the detective's hat with his eyes. The adults were supervising the children as they practiced with makeshift targets.

"Been preoccupied," he replied in a dry voice. Cloud calmly watched the boys, then furrowed his brow as he watched Vits awkwardly chop with his sword. He pointed at him. "He hasn't gotten much practice in, has he?"

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Evan shook his head. "I'm no fighter. I can barely aim a gun properly."

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Cloud turned to look at him with a smirk. "Could always ask Barret. He's a pretty good shot." He pointed towards his bandaged shoulder, and Evan knocked his hat back a little.

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"...I guess he really didn't like your secret."

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Cloud shook his head. He went back to observing at Vits before finally coming over to the boy and correcting his stance. "Like this..." Vits shifted his feet, and the warrior corrected his elbows. "There."

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Barret's eyes were trained on the interaction. Cloud ignored it as he corrected Vits. He looked up at Barret and took a few steps towards him, then pointed a thumb towards Evan. "Maybe you can help him with his aim." The large, dark-skinned man narrowed his eyes, and Cloud raised a brow, challenging him to say or do something. After a tense moment, Cloud went back to assisting the children, correcting them here and there.

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After several minutes he stood next to Evan again, watching the children practice. "I might need to teach him with the practice swords. If he doesn't have any real combat skill, he won't be able to defend himself." He quietly spoke about Zeph defending Marlene with his blade in the slums, and the detective gave a worried frown.

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"There's more werewolves in the slums?"

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"Yeah. Killed two this week so far." He looked back, took notice of Denzel, and told him to shift his left foot a little more to the front.

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"Where the hell are they coming from?" Evan wondered.

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"Beats me. I'm going to kill them, regardless," Cloud said flatly.

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Evan chuckled. "Only room for one, huh..."

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Cloud grinned. "Yep." He watched Vits, and he frowned. "I'll be right back. I think I'm going to do a little one-on-one with him." As the warrior opened up the garage door and disappeared, heavy clomping footfalls approached the detective.

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* * *

"Cloud said he wants us to go out there before we have to go to school," Zeph said, a small smile on his face as he whacked at his target. "Maybe we can chase Marlene around with some frogs?"

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Denzel grinned while batting at the head of his target. "She hates that!" Recovering from his sloppy form and listening to Cloud correct him, he continued. "Sometimes Cloud takes us with him on Fenrir, but he's been...busy lately."

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Zeph nodded knowingly. His morning travels had mellowed him to his guardian, and he didn't feel quite as trepidatious as he had yesterday. He wouldn't trust him blindly, but he reasoned if he was on the menu he'd have been dead weeks ago. It was just something he would have to learn to accept, he reasoned.

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Vits tried attacking his target, but he stumbled on his feet. He sighed harshly before again getting into the position Cloud had taught him. The children heard the sound of footsteps on the concrete of the garage, and they saw Cloud fiddling with something within. Turning their heads back towards the alley they saw Evan and Barret having a quiet if animated discussion. The detective looked rather nervous while Barret pointed aggressively at the kids, then at the garage. Vits watched in mild curiosity as the other two just shook their heads, tired of the paranoia.

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"Lyin' 'bout that—"

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"I owed him for—"

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"Shoulda told me—"

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"That's between you two—"

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"Vits." The boy jumped; Cloud had sneaked up on him. A wooden sword's hilt was being held in front of him by the young warrior, and Vits grasped it after sheathing his silver weapon. "I'm going to attack you. Defend yourself."

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Vits gulped and looked around. "Uh, am I ready for this?"

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Cloud lifted up his wooden sword in his left hand. Vits figured it was because of his shoulder injury. Denzel said it was from a recent monster attack. "I'm gonna tap you, not beat you with it. Now get in position." Vits did as he was asked, holding the sword uncertainly. His mentor frowned at his weak grasp. "Hold it firmer, like you intend to use it." Vits did as he was told, and Cloud nodded in approval. After a few tense seconds the warrior went to disarm Vits, the first lesson he wanted all of them to learn: Merely having a weapon in hand didn't mean it couldn't be taken from them.

__

Vits stumbled as he went to collect the wooden sword as it clattered to the ground, and Cloud went to softly jab him. To his surprise he looked over and at the last second dropped down, dodging the tap as he scooped up the sword. "That was pretty good." Again he went to tap the boy; Vits reacted quickly and pushed it away with his own wooden blade, only for Cloud's sword to come back and tap him in the chest. "You died," Cloud said flatly. They continued on the same pattern of taps and occasional dodges, and Cloud was impressed by Vits' ability to dodge attacks.

__

"Try attacking me instead," Cloud ordered in a bid to understand Vits' strengths and weaknesses. It went as well as Cloud expected, the child unable to place a blow on him. Vits seemed to be geared purely towards defense and dodging. Still, he'd have to know how to attack eventually, especially with an unknown amount of werewolves wandering the bustling city, Cloud thought. "You need a lot of practice on your offense, but you have a talent for defense at least. Here, I'll teach you the dodge I taught the other two."

__

After a few minutes of training the simple roll, he had Vits repeat it until he could do it smoothly, then telling him to practice at home when he could. "I'm gonna test you the next time you come over, so make sure you practice. I'll know if you haven't." He smiled, nodding at the boy as he went to collect the wooden weapon. Cloud then went over to Evan and Barret, the detective looking rather uncomfortable because of his proximity to the gunman.

__

"Vits needs to practice more. I know school is coming up, but if you're serious about him being able to protect himself, he needs to be able to put in some work every day," Cloud said with a nod.

__

Evan scratched the back of his head. "He doesn't really have anyone to practice with."

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"Bring him over here, the kids practice together or alone most days as it is. Just buy a wooden sword for him."

__

Evan nodded, and his hand came to rest on Vits' shoulder as he came to stand next to him, ready to go home. Vits looked up at his mentor with a smile. "Thank you, Mr. Strife."

__

Cloud's cheeks turned red. "...Just Cloud. And you're welcome. I'll see you guys later!"

__

* * *

The last time Cloud had been up on the roof, it was for a more pleasant task. This evening, however, he just wanted to get away from Barret's oppressive aura. Despite granting Cloud's request to leave him alone the rest of the day, the stares finally got to him and he skipped dinner to be alone on the roof. The sun had barely set, and the horizon in the west was painted hues of blood red that were slowly fading into sparkling indigo. He took a sip of the whiskey he favored from an icy glass, staring at the cityscape while he leaned on a small tower of concrete blocks forgotten by those who built their home years ago.

__

He wasn't feeling good about what was happening, where Barret's judgement would end up. The tired looks the children gave him, the look Barret gave him every time Cloud even glanced at Marlene...Did he really think she was in any danger from him? Cloud sipped his drink some more after sighing into the glass. Barret would either blow his brains out or rip his heart from his chest by tearing up the family. For now, he would pathetically drink alone on the roof.

__

The sound of heavy footsteps made its way to his ears, then short steps on flimsy metal. It traveled up towards him, but he barely registered it in his trance. Cloud took another, deeper sip of his whiskey, hoping to clear his mind some before he would have to sober up just enough to be able to drag himself into the bedroom.

__

"Thought you was out takin' a walk," a deep, gravely voice said. Cloud said nothing back, but sipped from his glass some more. The footsteps came closer, then the sound of glass being placed on hard ground nearby; Cloud looked over to see a jug of Corel wine. He glanced upwards at Barret with his glowing blue eyes.

__

"Guess you felt like drinkin' too," Cloud remarked as he refilled his glass lazily.

__

Barret grunted. "Guess it's as good a time to have that stupid 'heart to heart' Cait Sith was talkin' 'bout." He uncorked his jug after sitting down, and took a good long sip.

__

Cloud nodded. "Yeah." He took a swig of his drink, then stared out at the city again. "So much has changed in half a year...This furry little problem, marriage..." He let out a wistful sigh. "A new kid." Cloud looked over to Barret after sipping again. "Guess I've been busy."

__

Barret shook his head. "Tifa married you, even when you're like this..." He drank again from the jug.

__

Cloud let out a small laugh. "Yeah. I'm...lucky I have her." He danced his finger on the edge of his glass, making it squeak. He looked back at Barret. "I proposed to her up here, y'know. I was so drunk I just started ramblin', and then I pushed the ring on her finger." He shrugged with a weak, amused snort. "Guess I'm not good at the whole romantic thing," he said, as he looked down into his glass. Cloud brought it to his lips and sipped again, enjoying the warm burn down his throat.

__

Barret looked about the roof and let out a low hum. "Up here? I guess it's private enough."

__

Cloud nodded, then took a longer gulp of the amber liquid. He felt warm and fuzzy headed, the memories of that night making him smile. "I..." He looked down, putting a hand through his spikes.

__

Barret looked back from his jug. "You what?"

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"It feels good to have a real family." His voice had begun to slur slightly.

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The gunman said nothing, quietly sipping his wine.

__

"I don't know why you think I'd hurt any of them." He looked back up at his friend.

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Barret sighed, holding his jug on a knee. "Man, if you'd just seen the things in Junon's underground...You'd know why I'm so upset!"

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Cloud finished his glass, then went to pour some more. "I'm not one of those things." He looked back up, sipping from his now full glass. "Reeve has me hunting the ones here as it is."

__

"It's hard, man. I keep worrying you gonna kill someone again." Cloud clearly made out the worried expression on Barret's face.

__

Cloud shook his head. "'Again?' Barret, those hunters were gonna kill me. If they'd just left me alone that night..." He was starting to tap his fingers lazily on his knee as he drank. "Besides, it's not like either of us haven't killed out of necessity in the past."

__

Barret sighed heavily as he remembered the things done during the Jenova War.

__

"Why is it so hard to believe? I've been like this for half a year. Tifa and the kids are safe. Yuffie's safe. I've killed several of those man-eating bastards..." He held his drink to his lips, but paused. "I had no idea there were so many, just hunting invalids at the edges of the city..."

__

"'Cause it's scary, thinkin' 'bout it." He took a long gulp of his wine as Cloud watched him with half open eyes. "The kids keep defendin' you, you know. Even Zeph..."

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Cloud allowed himself to laugh a little. "That's nice to hear. I just wish they weren't so curious to see me like that...Well, besides Zeph."

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"Afraid you'll hurt them?" Barret said accusingly.

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"No. I'd never hurt them, ever. It's just embarrassing... Tifa's the only one I don't feel weird about being around."

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The gunman took another large gulp, the booze and talk beginning to relax his mind. "A werewolf...Wolf...Guess you see'em as your pack, then." He chuckled a little.

__

"Friends, family...All...my pack." He finished another glass, working towards his fifth for the night; he had a silly smile on his face as he tried to fill his glass again. He finally felt a lot better and scooted closer to Barret, and put a hand on his shoulder. "H-hey. Since you've been outta the loop, let's talk about stuff. Like I ate those pancakes that one morning as fast as I could 'cause I didn't want you or Zeph to get suspicious," he confessed.

Barret rolled his eyes. "Y'almost choked!"

Cloud wheezed out a chuckle as he slouched forward. "Yeah, and when I got outta Edge I had to throw up behind a rock. Stuff like that hurts my stomach, it sucks."

"Shit." Barret smiled into his jug, barely keeping his lips in place as he drank. "You all kept this a secret, even Nanaki!"

"Ssorry. If it makes ya feel any bedder he was about ready to claw my face off when he found out..."

Barret laughed and slapped Cloud's back, almost making him spill some of his drink. "What else've ya been up to, Spiky?"

Cloud spoke drunkenly of his misadventures, his hopes, his fears. Barret sat there listening, nodding, asking questions of his friend. As the stars began to burn more brightly in the sky, they heard the sound of someone coming up the ladder. A moment later and Tifa's head poked up from the ladder, a curious yet hopeful expression on her face.

__

"I had a feeling I'd find you two up here," she said to both of them, walking towards them after climbing the last few steps of the ladder. Looking at them in the twilight, Tifa noticed both of them had probably had too much to drink; Barret's silhouette was swaying slightly and Cloud's eyes were unfocused and half open as they glowed in the dim light of the city. Cloud softly took Tifa's hand, and she sat next to him. They spent a good part of the night happily talking and drinking under the night sky, no longer filled with tension, suspicion and dread.

__


	29. A Familiar Visitor

"Do you like this one better, or this one?" Cloud asked Denzel as they spent some alone time at an outdoors store. It had been several days since he mostly assured Barret of his good will; though the big, burly man had decided to stay a little bit longer just to make sure everything was really alright, and to spend time with his daughter. Barret had admitted he wanted to take Marlene with him to Junon the night after he had discovered his friend's secret, but the thought of her being anywhere near the werewolves in that city had lent to his initial indecision. Cloud and Tifa were still keeping her safe after everything was said and done, and after their talk on the roof he was at least certain of Cloud's intentions.

Denzel lifted the fabric of the tent, green and crinkly, and rubbed it between his thumb and fingers. "This one, I think."

Cloud grinned. "Same." He picked up the folded tent and placed it in his cart. "Are we missing anything?"

Denzel looked around, scratching the back of his head. "I don't think so..." The boy's grin grew as he looked up at his guardian. "We're really gonna go camping!" Denzel had been to the greener areas of the world on Fenrir before, but the family had never gone camping together, only day visits to places beyond the city. Cloud and the boys had taken several trips on Fenrir, helping look for a proper camping area; Cloud had taken Denzel to the green area he had taken Zeph, but the area had flooded during a rain storm. They both had a good time chasing frogs, however.

Cloud nodded. "Should be a fun time, huh?"

The child nodded enthusiastically, a smile on his face. They went to a register to pay for the equipment. Cloud paid after it was tallied up, then took it out to a car he had rented for the day; Fenrir didn't have enough space for the purchases. They entered the car after stuffing the supplies in the trunk, and Denzel sat behind his hero, the warrior taking a deep breath as he turned on the ignition.

"Y'know, your birthday is coming up in November. You're gettin' older, too, and I'm sure you remember we talked about giving you a separate room from Marlene's when you reached twelve years old," Cloud said as he began backing out of the parking spot, ready to head to Tifa's destination on the other side of the shopping plaza. "We'll get it ready soon, because it probably feels unfair that Zeph has a room by himself and you don't."

Denzel lit up at the news that he'd be getting his own room finally. It wasn't that he didn't like sleeping in the same room as Marlene, but he had been aching for more privacy as of late, and he had felt somewhat jealous of Zeph having his own room. He knew why, but he had wished they would have let him take the other room already. He had figured it was just in case any other strange surprises happened and they needed the space, like when Shelke lived with them for a time, or all of AVALANCHE visited and they barely had enough space between all the rooms. "I'm getting the room between Zeph and yours, right?"

Cloud nodded as he slowly made his way around the parking lot. "Yeah."

Tifa and Zeph soon came into view on the sidewalk, both holding bags in their hands. Cloud parked the vehicle by them, allowing them to enter; Zeph tossed his bags of clothing between he and Denzel, and Tifa softly placed her bags between her legs, giving Cloud a smile in greeting. "Did you two have fun shopping?" she asked.

Cloud slowly took off, meandering through the busy parking lot and towards the road. "Yeah. Got everything we need for the little trip." He sniffed, then brought his brows together. "...What did you buy at the grocery store?"

Tifa blushed. "Just some things to restock the fridge! You ate all the bacon, you know..." The children snickered behind them, and Cloud matched her blush.

"Sorry, Teef." He sniffed silently again; it didn't smell like bacon at all...What was it? Cloud decided to focus on driving and keeping his motion sickness at bay instead of bothering with the smell. He took his time traveling through the city, talking to Tifa or the boys here and there. They soon found themselves at the back of Seventh Heaven. The four left the vehicle to sort through their bags, Tifa, Denzel and Zeph disappearing into the garage. Cloud dug out his purchases from the trunk and placed them in the garage before returning to the rental, leaning on the door as he took a few deep breaths with his eyes closed. Driving a vehicle helped keep his motion sickness at bay mostly, but the heat of the summer and the small dimensions of the car didn't help.

Denzel peeked out open garage and walked up to Cloud. "Can I come with you?" He gave the warrior a bored look as the blond man slowly opened his eyes and looked down.

"If you want." Finished with his meditation he returned to the car, and Denzel entered the front passenger seat. Cloud started the car and began driving, thankful the rental shop was just a block away from the bar. He looked at Denzel a moment, noticing that he was enjoying the breeze from the open window.

The ride had been uneventful, with Cloud paying for the service before holding Denzel's hand as they went back towards home, attempting to stay in the mid-morning shade where ever it showed up.

"Hey, Cloud..." Denzel squeezed his guardian's hand as the both of them walked through a shady, empty area.

"What's up?"

Denzel looked up at the man. "Um, that morning when you were arguing with Barret outside of the bedroom..."

Cloud stopped in his tracks, his face flushing red. "Oh. You were awake." The boy nodded, giving an inquiring look towards the embarrassed warrior. Cloud looked away, unable to keep eye contact. He sniffed, but just found curiosity. "Look, I know I'm not...your father, or anything, and I'm not trying to replace him, either..." He sighed as he looked back at Denzel. "I...guess the sentiment is there, that's all. I'm fine just being 'Cloud'."

Denzel nodded, thinking it over. "You couldn't replace my father, anyway." Cloud frowned, a little hurt from the words. "But, no one could replace you, either. But what would you be, then?" His hero was one part father figure and one part big brother to Denzel; he looked up to and loved the person that brought him into his family from the slums despite his Geostigma. Above all, he was his hero, larger than life.

The spiky haired man chuckled. "Just Cloud." Denzel smiled, the name describing everything all at once to him. It always had.

They slowly approached the bar after their little talk, and neared the entrance to an alley. The swordsman suddenly smelled something that made him stop in his tracks and made his eyes dilate.

"Cloud? Uh, are you okay?" Denzel noticed his face seemed off as he looked up, wondering why they stopped. He tugged on his shirt.

The blond man blinked at the sound of his name, then gave a small grimace. "Yeah...I just...Stay close to me, okay?" Cloud held on tightly to the boy's hand before walking towards the bar again. "I'm taking you home. There's another werewolf nearby," he mumbled lowly to the child.

Denzel picked up his pace, wide eyed. "What if it comes to the bar?" he whispered.

"Then I'll take care of it." He silently sniffed again, the scent was stronger. His frown deepened, both at the fact it was leading towards the bar and that there was something familiar to it. They were almost there, the smell ever stronger and driving Cloud into an angry panic, running with Denzel attempting to keep pace before letting go to speed up. He quickly made it to the front steps, almost busting the door in as he flung himself into the bar with a growl.

"Cloud! Um, are you okay?" a familiar voice asked.

Cloud blinked several times, staring at the werewolf that invaded his territory. "P-Penelope?"

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" She wore a denim dress Tifa had given her a while ago, her long brown hair in a low ponytail that cascaded down her back. She wore no shoes, and her feet were covered in dirt as she stood on the wood floor. Tifa was a few feet behind her, wide eyed and frozen in her smile as she watched the two. Zeph hid behind the pugilist in pure terror as he remembered the name and who it belonged to; Cloud's face did his nerves no favors, either.

Cloud put a hand to his face and rubbed with a groaning sigh. "Yeah, it has been." He looked up, relaxed but still perplexed as Denzel cautiously entered behind him and warily eyed the girl. "What brings you to the city? How'd you even find us, anyway?" He knew she could find a trail, but Edge wasn't a small forest.

Penelope put her fingers together, smiling. "I caught your trail of course! Well, first I left the forest, and some stranger on the road told me where to go to get here. Then, I caught your scent when I reached the plaza...It was about a day of traveling." She scratched the back of her head. "Um, I came here because Ithey is sick, and I need to get him some medicine..." Her face became concerned.

Tifa spoke up. "Sick? What symptoms does he have?" She held Zeph's hand, giving it a squeeze.

Penelope rattled off a few symptoms, both adults concluding that he had the flu. "There's medicine that can relieve the symptoms, but he just needs bed rest," Tifa replied, then she frowned. "What happened to your burner phone?"

"Oh..." Penelope took it out of a pocket on the dress. "We think the battery is dead. I know you said it should last a while if it's off, but maybe it wasn't charged all that well." The woman had a frown on her face. "I guess I made the trip for nothing. Neither of us have gotten sick in a long while, so I was worried it was something serious..."

"I wouldn't say that! You can stay for dinner if you want, then Cloud can take you home tomorrow. Would that be okay?" Tifa asked. Zeph uttered a worried moan at the mention of her staying any longer than needed.

Her green eyes brightened up. "Really? I don't remember the last time I had something that wasn't cooked over a campfire. I'd really appreciate it!"

Tifa nodded. "Great! I'll make something you'll probably like."

Cloud coughed to get the attention of the women. "Barret'll be back soon, you know." Tifa frowned as she made her way behind the counter and up the stairs.

Penelope didn't like his tone of voice. "Is he mean?"

Cloud shook his head. "No, just...overprotective. He shot me in the shoulder with a silver bullet almost a week ago, because he thought I was going to hurt the family." The teen gasped, her eyes wide at the news. "I...told him about you, but not where you lived or anything, just so he knows I'm not the only werewolf out there not interested in that savagery..."

She backed towards the counter as Zeph tried to find shelter behind it. "I don't wanna get shot."

"...I'll protect you. Relax." It's not like he hadn't been shot several times already, he mused in his head.

Tifa returned from the stairs, looking towards the young werewolf and motioning her to come over as she called her name. Penelope walked to her nervously. "Would you like to use the shower?" Tifa asked.

"Y-yeah, but...I'm not gonna die here, am I?" She held a worried expression on her face.

Tifa shook her head before taking the teen's wrist. "We have your back!" They traveled upstairs, the three males silent in the bar below. Cloud gave the floor a gentle kick, slowly moving towards a stool at the counter to sit down. Zeph peeked out from the counter to look at him, and Denzel followed his hero, relaxing when he realized who it was that visited the bar.

"A-are we really gonna have her...?" Zeph's face was pale, his hands shaking as he came up to the spiky haired man.

"So that's Penelope? She seems really nice." Denzel was smiling. "Wait until Marlene sees her!"

Cloud sighed, rubbing Zeph's back to calm him down. "She won't hurt you, Zeph. We wouldn't put you in danger like that."

"What if she comes into one of our rooms while we're sleeping?"

The door to the bar opened up at that moment, Barret and Marlene walking through. The little girl was happily holding an ice cream cone in one hand and her father's hand in the other. Cloud sighed, ready to explain the situation to his friend and praying to Gaia he wouldn't again be shot. "Hey, Barret..."

* * *

"Ooooh, this is so nice!" Tifa could hear Penelope from Cloud's office as she prepared some new sheets for the bed. She smiled, figuring the young woman hadn't had a hot shower in years; Tifa wondered if Penelope even remembered what modern day plumbing was like. After several minutes of cleaning she heard a small shout from downstairs, followed by muffled discussion. Tifa frowned, but decided to stay near to the young werewolf to keep from a possible confrontation.

Little footsteps made their way up the stairs after a couple of minutes, and Denzel appeared a few moments later in the doorway. Tifa looked at him expectantly. "Barret was a little upset, but he said he's gonna keep an eye on her 'cause he's willing to give her a chance first." The woman raised her brows, happily surprised at his calmer reaction.

"Let me guess...And if she does anything a little funny, he's blowing a hole through her, right?" Tifa said, finding it predictable.

Denzel nodded, giving a small, cheeky grin.

Tifa came to the door, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "She's a little bit funny as it is, living out in the woods for five years. The city must be something else after so long..." She heard the shower stop and the girl loudly humming to herself in the bathroom. She ushered Denzel back downstairs, in case she brazenly flew out of the room naked. Tifa went to lean against the wall opposite the door, waiting.

After several minutes Penelope opened the door, her long hair still moist and wearing her new clothing, a casual white dress with thin, light blue lines of embroidered frills down it. Tifa cocked her head with a finger to her cheek. "Penelope...Have you ever thought of getting a haircut?"

Five minutes later and Tifa was busily cutting the thick locks, the teen cooing as it released stress from her neck as she dictated how short she wanted it. Tifa cut it to about shoulder length, giving her a light blue cloth band to keep her hair out of her face after drying it further with another towel. The young werewolf was delighted, clapping her hands innocently as she finished before helping Tifa clean up.

"Ithey'll be so surprised!" she gushed. They both left the bathroom, Tifa holding her hand as they went downstairs. As she reached the final step Penelope looked about, noticing two new people in the bar; a big, dark skinned man with a stern face, and a cute little girl with a pink bow in her hair wearing a light pink summer dress, her face excited. The young woman stood behind the counter, unsure if they'd accept her greeting. "H-hello..."

The man came up to the counter, looking her up and down. "You Penny?"

"P-Penny?" Her emerald eyes looked upon a frowning face, dark eyes studying her intently.

"That's short for Penelope." The big man raised a brow.

"Oh. Sorry, I just get called Penelope..." She looked down and scratched her arm awkwardly.

"It's no matter. Penny, you best not hurt a hair on these kids' heads, or you gonna deal with me. You can deal with that, we'll be cool." He was crossing his arms across his chest, appraising the werewolf.

Penny looked up at him and nodded, giving a small smile. "I can deal with that."

Her smile was returned thinly on his face, and he gave her an approving nod. "Name's Barret. Just remember, I'm gonna be watchin' you!"

After their pleasantries were finished the children had gone upstairs at Cloud's behest before having another chat with Barret in the privacy of the guest room. Tifa had opened the bar for the lunch rush while talking to Penny here and there, the teen watching the flow of people coming in and out as the afternoon went on. Cloud and Barret had eventually gone out with a cat doll for some vague job after convincing the gunman of the bar's safety, and Penny gasped at the size of the sword Cloud kept on his back. _'What kind of job needs a big sword like that? How can he use that?'_

"Penny?" She looked towards Tifa, taking a liking to the shorthand of her name. She found it cute. The barmaid had a bowl of something in front of her, gently pushing it her way. "Cloud likes this. Maybe you will, too?" It was one of the stews she had prepared for the bar. Penny sniffed it, the scent of beef and vegetables hitting her nose. She wasn't much a fan of vegetables, but their scent took nothing away from how appetizing it smelled.

"It smells good..." She tried it, smiling as she tasted it. "I see why he does!" Penny happily ate her lunch, striking up a conversation with Tifa when she wasn't assisting a customer. Tifa asked how she liked the city, if she had any plans for she and Ithey to visit together, or if she ever planned to leave the forest.

"I wanna take him, but...It's quicker if..." Penny looked away with her spoon in her mouth.

Tifa understood. "How did you get here without trouble?"

She looked back and removed the spoon from her mouth. "I traveled like that at night. Thought I saw a couple of people out there, but I steered clear," Penny whispered.

Tifa frowned. "I'm glad you didn't come sooner, they have dogs that'll sniff you out."

Penny frowned while cocking her head. "Where did they go?"

"Let's just say we know people in high places..."

Just then the bar door opened, a WRO peacekeeper and another man entering; one was taller with dark eyes and pale skin, his dark brown hair waving to one side. The other was a little shorter, wearing a sling on a shoulder. His indigo eyes observed the bar as he moved a tussle of dirty blond hair from his face. The tall one looked at Tifa, and after a moment his eyes flickered with recognition. He walked briskly to the counter; Penny frowned at them until she noticed the bartender motion for her to go behind the counter and upstairs.

"H-hey! I remember you! You're that sweet lady that was in the slums!" The two men sat at the counter, eager to speak. "I thought that other werewolf gotcha."

Tifa blushed, putting on her fakest smile. "You don't remember what happened that night, do you?"

The man frowned, shaking his head. "Not much. Came across you and some kids, and a decapitated werewolf. Something knocked me out...Did you see what?"

 _'My fists!'_ Tifa hummed. "Actually, we blacked out, too. We woke up in a strange place, but we escaped back to the plaza as quickly as we could. I thought we were goners."

His friend spoke up, his brow raised. "What were you doing down there, anyway?"

"One of the kids walked down there...He had a habit of going to that spot." Tifa shrugged nonchalantly.

The men seemed satisfied by the answer. "Well...While we're here, we'd love to try your daily special." Tifa nodded, getting to work on the meals. She listened as she cooked to their conversation; their voices were low but not low enough for her to not pick up some of it here and there.

"So...This is the bar...?"

"Yeah. Scent was at the back end. Guess it didn't die after all."

"Maybe it did, just not out there."

"Dunno. The guys that checked it out don't think it'd live here..."

Tifa sighed as she worked on their lunch. _'Why can't these people bother another bar?'_

* * *

Walking upstairs, Penny stopped by the room she would use for the night and looked quietly at the pictures that littered the back of the desk. Pictures of Cloud and Tifa's group of friends, their family...She found it curious that the little blond boy wasn't in the picture. Was he new here? There was a vase with yellow flowers in it, the smell pleasantly tickling her nose. No wonder Cloud had the faint scent of flowers on him, she thought.

She left and went towards the children's room, knocking on the door and murmuring that it was her. A girl's voice chimed from the other side to come in; she entered, noticing two smiling faces and another, wide eyed one behind the far bed, peeking out at her. Penny waved, then sat herself by the wall to talk to the children. "I think you know my name, but I don't know all of yours yet..."

"My name is Denzel!"

"I'm Marlene!" The little girl pointed towards her bed, the blond boy peeking behind it still. "That's Zeph. Cloud and Tifa rescued him from a bad werewolf, but he's still scared, even if you're nice." The boy grunted, as if insulted.

Penny frowned before rubbing her nose. Now she understood why the boy was so terrified.. "I don't think I look scary, do I?" She looked down.

Marlene giggled. "You're too pretty to be scary!"

Denzel looked about the room at the toys and games. "D'you wanna play a game with us?"

The day was going by slowly to the young woman, and she nodded, wanting something to do to pass the time. "Are you gonna join us, Zeph? It looks lonely over there..."

The boy hesitated, looking at her and then the other two. He shook his head. "...I'm fine."

* * *

Cait Sith cheered. "Woo! Ye still got thae finishin' touch, ye do!" Just a moment ago the cat had seen Cloud shortly battle a werewolf that was about to feast on a teenager, having heard the screams in time. The girl was unconscious and in Barret's arms now. Cait Sith looked over the corpse of the monster, flicking his tail.

The beast had turned as it fully changed, surprised at Cloud's advances towards her. It was smaller than the others but still something a normal human would be challenged by, and she went towards Cloud, trying to defend her hunting prize. She had moved at the last second as Cloud swiped for the neck, ripping through the chest instead. Finally he had swiped again, beheading her with a bloodthirsty smile. This job was too easy for him.

Cloud lifted up the head of the werewolf as they stood deep in the Midgar ruins. He was taking deep breaths, trying to control himself before he burst out of his skin; he felt he should be used to the feeling every time he smelled another, but it always excited him in ways he wouldn't admit. Penny was the lone exception, he thought, so long as he remembered her scent. After a few moments he nodded while tossing the head to the ground. "That's another one down."

"How many'd be down here? It's almost as bad as Junon!" Barret commented as he held the young woman.

Cloud shook his head. "I have no idea...C'mon, let's get out of here." He wiped off his blade on the torso of the slain monster before placing it back in its sheath. He lifted Cait Sith, then worked his way towards Edge again, Barret following close behind. He let out a sigh as he wondered if there was a network of the fiends in the major cities; with such a large amount of people, a few dozen werewolves or more could live without much trouble. Especially if they kept to the poorest as their victims, the easiest to take from Edge. They were completely covered until Cloud and his friends daringly struck down that bastard Valdt nearly two months ago.

"Aye, Barret! How fares the lassy?" Cait Sith said on his perch, Cloud's pauldron.

Barret looked over the teenager as they walked, looking for any suspicious injuries. "Looks fine...Just needs to wake up. Best take her to Dr. Drake to make sure."

They made their way back, traveling from the very back of the Sector Four Slums near Sector Three. The job took several hours of walking and Cloud had trailed the beast as he stalked the slums, finally alerted by screams that had issued from an uninhabited corner beneath the plate. Leaving would be an easier task, since they were not tracking an elusive monster in the waning daylight. Crunching through rubble they continued on silently. Cloud's ears perked at a noise, and his eyes shifted about. Time felt like it stood still as dread pooled in his stomach and Barret readied his hand cannon. Soon, a large rat popped out of a broken shack, squeaking at the small party as it rested upon a rough chunk of concrete. Cloud relaxed, and let out a snort.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted it, but he was too late; the dusty furred wolf was already digging its teeth into Cloud's uncovered shoulder, claws ripping into his back and sides. He grimaced, and jammed a thumb into the challenger's eye socket in an attempt to get it to dislodge. It was to no avail as the monster began shaking its head in an attempt to tear the flesh. Barret shot at it after shuffling the teenager over his shoulder, grazing its back and making it roar in pain. It finally released its hold on Cloud's mangled shoulder. The flesh was torn and bleeding from the monster's vicious attack.

"You shouldn't have let go," Cloud hissed before kicking the werewolf's leg hard enough to hear a crunch; it buckled from the injury and was swiftly punched in the muzzle as it swiped at Cloud's chest, adding to his injuries and making him snarl at the sneaky wolf. Fallen to the side from the superhuman punch, it attempted to get up again only to get a savage kick to the face and then a boot heel to the eye socket. A primal scream issued from its injured maw. 

As it lay there dazed, Barret calmly walked towards it. He aimed and shot the monster in the head, immediately putting an end to the werewolf's life. Cloud collapsed in a heap a moment later, breathing heavily as his body started to knit itself back together. Hojo's experiments and his lycanthropy accelerated his healing. "...That's one...for you, Barret." Cloud looked up and gave his friend a winced grin.

Barret kneeled down next to his friend, looking him over. "I know you can heal, man. But this looks pretty bad." Indeed, his blood was splattered all over his clothing; he looked like a still animated murder victim to the gunman. Cait Sith was looking over the injuries and then examined his tail; the tip was missing some fur from the attack. Cloud huffed and shook his head.

"It's healing. I'm more worried about going out in this ruined shirt...People might think I murdered someone." Cloud slowly removed his pauldron as Cait Sith moved off him, then unzipped his shirt. He methodically peeled it away from the healing cuts and avoided his touching his necklace. When it was finally off he folded it, then took a small hi-potion out and smeared it over his injuries and dumped the rest over his back. He sighed as he sat there in the dirt as he let the potion do its job.

After a few minutes he gingerly picked himself up, and took his side sash off. Cloud used it to wipe off the blood and potion from him, then handed the fabric to Barret. "Could you get my back, please?"

Barret frowned at the request. "I dunno if that's safe, man..."

"I'm not infectious like this," Cloud mumbled. Barret hesitated a moment, then used his free hand to wipe away the blood as best he could. Finally, Cloud wrapped his ruined shirt in the side sash, tucking the bloody package under an arm and holding his pauldron in the other, his wounds white and deep pink and beginning to fade after twenty minutes of nursing. What would have taken at least a day of healing would have taken a few hours without the potion; he wondered how such an ability was granted to werewolves and Hojo never looked for it. Then again, the scientist scoffed at legends and myths, he thought. "Let's get the hell out of here, before another one shows up and I end up in my birthday suit." They began to travel again, thanking their lucky stars they were almost at the edge of the city.

The plaza was busy this evening as they entered it. The three had strange looks glared their way with a bare chested, man with a cat on his shoulder and swords on his back walking with another man who had an unconscious teen girl in his arms. Cloud glanced at Barret, then motioned with his head. "I'm gonna head home, I feel kinda weird without a shirt on..." He looked over his friend's shoulder and noticed a few young women eyeing him; he blushed. Barret nodded, and Cait Sith leaped onto the gunman's shoulder.

"Aye'll tell the good doc ye said 'ello, laddie!" the cat squeaked. Cloud nodded before walking towards the bar as his friends headed towards the nearby clinic. He felt eyes on him as he walked through the dimly lit street, and smelled something that brought the word "attraction" to mind. It was the same scent Tifa had when she wanted him, and his blush grew until he made it to Seventh Heaven He let the sounds beyond the door drown out the hushed whispers of women making comments about his body.

They wouldn't be saying those things if they knew what he was, he thought.

With a sigh he opened up the door, and was greeted to two familiar and unwanted scents. Cloud looked about for the intruders in his den as he entered and walked by tables filled with patrons, his eyes finally settling on Tifa and two very familiar men drinking beer in the dimly lit bar. Familiar men that were looking at him dead in the eye as he walked towards the counter. He didn't blink once as he approached.

"Have...I seen you somewhere before?" asked the short one. His voice was dripping with nervousness. He looked Cloud up and down, and noticied the white gold ring dangling off of his chest.

"I don't think so," Cloud replied nonchalantly, his face an unreadable mask to the two.

"You look really familiar for some reason," said the WRO peacekeeper. He narrowed his eyes.

Cloud decided to play along. "Where do you think you saw me, then?" He gave them a mocking smirk.

They said nothing, and returned to their drinks. Tifa gave Cloud a worried, confused look, and he gave her a nod back; he would tell her what happened later. Cloud went past the counter and walked up the steps towards a needed hot shower after he went to the bedroom to return his gear. He figured he could bring his swords back to the garage later. His ears perked as the men spoke before he was out of earshot, and he stopped halfway up the stairs to listen.

"He lives with you?" asked the shorter, blond haired one.

"Yeah, that's my husband," Tifa said.

"A man like that looks like he could have a secret life, if you catch my drift," replied the tall peacekeeper solemnly.

"Um, no, I don't." Tifa sounded annoyed under her cheerful response.

"Cloud! Are you okay?! I smelled your blood..." Penny had popped out of the children's room, a worried look on her face as she stood at the top of the stairs. He jumped at her whisper, having been focused on the two bumbling hunters downstairs. Marlene and Denzel appeared behind her, their faces glancing downwards at Cloud.

He walked the rest of the way up the stairs. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'll talk after the bar is closed, okay? Right now I really need a shower." Cloud walked by them after a short nod of a greeting to the two children, then tossed his ruined shirt in the trash and throwing his dust apron in the special hamper Tifa had in the room for occasions where he had come home covered in monster gore. His pauldron was dropped onto the table in next to the door, and he figured it could stay there for now. He took out his night clothing and left for the bathroom, ready to wash away the evening's adventures.

* * *

A couple of hours later and Tifa had dinner ready with Penny's help; the teen would fetch things or slice vegetables for her friend, happily listening to directions. Tifa had made a large pot roast, the young werewolf commenting that she had never tried one before.

The group sat at the table after everything was brought out. Barret was protectively watching over Marlene, and Zeph was warily watching Penny as Cloud asked for the pepper shaker. Penny sheepishly took a few slices of meat and some of the vegetables, since they had been soaked in beef juices. She didn't want to feel rude, only taking the meat. As she ate a slice, she found herself enjoying the seasoned meat, and began wondering if some day she should return to the city if just to have Tifa teach her how to cook like this.

"So, we're gonna go on a camping trip before school starts, but the last place flooded...We might check it again, though," Denzel said as he chewed his mouthful, and Cloud gently chastised him to not talk with his mouth full.

Penny stabbed at some of the meat on her plate. "You can camp in our forest if you want. There's not too many monsters there, anymore."

Zeph glared worriedly at her as he bit into some carrot, then looked towards Cloud. Barret grunted and shook a finger at Penny. "You won't be botherin' them?"

"No...I mean, if they want me to visit..."

Cloud cleared his throat. "I might do that, it's really nice there. Thanks, Penny." The teen beamed.

Tifa nodded. "It really is. We'll be there for the children, Barret, like we always are!"

Barret grumbled but slowly nodded. "As long as they're safe, especially my little girl!" Marlene smiled back at her father, then gave a nod to Penelope. She looked forward to visiting the forest.

"I hope there's frogs there..." Denzel remarked as he poked some vegetables with a wicked grin.

Penny nodded. "There's a couple of creeks there where you can find them!"

Marlene shook her head and made a face. "I hate frogs!"

"You liked that frog I gave you last year," Denzel replied evilly.

"Denzel..." Cloud moaned, biting his lip to keep from smiling. Last summer the boy had put a fat, slimy frog into Marlene's wildflower bucket as they visited a creek near Kalm. When she had reached in to grab a bunch to give to Cloud, she had screeched as it struggled in her hand, croaking, before she flung it into his chest in a panic. The creature had squirmed into his partially opened shirt and had caused him to shout and dig for the clammy frog.

Tifa sighed. "We'll talk more about that, later..."

* * *

Cloud and Tifa had put the children to bed after brushing up on Zeph's school work to make sure he would be ready next month. Barret had given him science tips from his work on the oil fields as they moved from math while Cait Sith entertained the other two children. The couple took their time reassuring Zeph that Penny wasn't going to come into his room and eat him; the boy was given his silver sword to lean near his bed if it would help him sleep. Cloud, Tifa and Penny went into Cloud's office, conversing with the young woman before she went to bed. She was shocked to find out the reason Cloud went out earlier was to hunt other werewolves, and both she and Tifa were doubly shocked at the reason why he was bare chested when he got home.

"You hunt werewolves now?"

Cloud nodded. "Instead of those stupid hunters covering the city, it's just me. That way I don't have to worry about being found out." Tifa frowned while fidgeting with her fingers.

Penny was wide eyed. "I know Tifa said you had friends in high places, but that means someone that's really in charge of everything knows that you're..."

"The head of the WRO, and the head of intelligence, too. We're old friends," he responded, giving a half smile. "I told him to avoid the forests around Junon, so you should be safe." Penny smiled, and nodded in thanks.

Tifa cleared her throat, worry apparent on her face. "Those two in the bar, they got really nosy after you got home. Are they someone you encountered?"

Cloud sighed. "The ones that injured me last month. They probably want revenge for the hunter that didn't make it."

Penny gasped. "You _killed_ one?"

Cloud looked at her with a resigned look. "I didn't have much of a choice. I tried to avoid them, but...they followed me." With a sigh, he scratched his cheek. "But now they're interested in the bar, because I look enough like me as..." He closed his eyes with a mirthless laugh.

"Just be careful when you're out...They might be watching you now. They wouldn't stop asking questions, but I don't think they believed my answers...Maybe they think I'm a werewolf, too."

Cloud snorted. "I really don't want to kill them, but if they want to put me on the spot again I won't have a choice."

Penny scratched her head. "It's gotten dangerous outside of the forest..." The two nodded at her, slightly envious of her life so far away from human troubles.

They spoke a while longer before the couple wished Penny goodnight. They came to lay upon their bed almost as soon as they entered their room, with Cloud blinking up at the ceiling and Tifa curled up next to him, using his shoulder as a pillow. The spiky haired man turned his head towards her, sniffing her hair with a small smile on his face. She looked up at him, her eyes full of curiosity in the darkness.

"What do I smell like?" she asked.

Cloud looked back, then his eyes looked upward as he thought. He sniffed her quietly again, his hand on her arm. "...Like lilacs and roses and spice...It's nice, and heavy."

Tifa smiled at the description. "Did I always smell like this?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but...there's something extra now I can't describe properly. Maybe it's pheromones. I love your scent..." He gave her a kiss on her forehead, his eyes closing.

Tifa gave a small giggle. "You have a smell, too, you know..." She sniffed at the crevasse between his neck and his shoulder, the sound of her trying to imitate him making Cloud grin goofily. "You smell like...leather and lilies and earth. With just a hint of mako. It's comforting...I always missed it when you were gone on a delivery. I'd sleep on your pillow."

He cracked open his eyes. "Really?"

Tifa nodded. She looked back up at him, a serious look on her face. "Please be careful. Those two are gonna be after you, and I..."

Cloud squeezed her, then brought their foreheads together. "I promise, Tifa. I'll take some precautions before I take Penny back home, just to be safe."

Tifa nodded, swallowing hard. She snuggled up to the warrior, slowly falling asleep with him, he promise an assurance in her heart.


	30. A Special Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaayyyy there's a lemon at the end

There was that smell again...Cloud sniffed the air. It smelled delicious, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was. He knew it had to be some sort of meat, but it didn't smell like anything he was familiar with. He slowly opened his tired eyes, and noticed Tifa wasn't in bed. It was still dark out and he turned to look at the clock on his nightstand; it was four in the morning. Cloud blinked a few times, curiosity overwhelming him. What was Tifa cooking at this hour? He quietly crept out of bed and slowly made his way down the hall, half awake as the scent grew stronger in his nose.

"Hmm...Blanch and then cook it..." Tifa's mumbled whispers made their way to Cloud's ears as he waited at the top of the steps, observing her shadow move about in the galley. What was she cooking? He started to sleepily make his way down the stairs, his curiosity getting the best of him. Still, he tried his best to be quiet about it. His foot hit a creaky step, however, and he whispered a curse. Tifa was almost immediately at the base of the stairs, blocking his path to the galley.

"Cloud, it's still early...I'll call you when breakfast is ready, okay?" She gave him a smile, the werewolf sniffing out...anxiety? His brows slowly knitted together.

Cloud blinked his half open eyes. "...Is everything okay?" he croaked.

Tifa nodded furiously. "Yes! Now get back to bed!" she whispered while trying to turn his shoulders the other way.

"But...it smells tasty," he mumbled.

"Between you and Penny..." Tifa sighed, then gave him a tired, but fond, smile. "You can have some later. It's a surprise!"

Cloud yawned while mulling over her response. "Okay." He turned back to go back to bed, nearly tripping over a step in his stupor. He cursed yet again as he almost planted his face into a step. He stumbled back into the hallway, shuffling towards the bedroom. The door to Zeph's bedroom opened up as he walked by, and he stood there, zombie-like as the boy stared up at him from the crack in his door. "...Mornin'," he groaned out.

"Morning..." He opened the door some more. "You can't sleep, either?"

"Um...Tifa's cooking somethin' good, it woke me up. Did that wake you up too?" Cloud asked quietly, his eyes still half open.

Zeph shook his head. "Had a nightmare..."

Cloud frowned. "Why didn't you get me or Tifa?" he mumbled softly.

"I was afraid to leave the room..."

The warrior shuffled into Zeph's room, ushering him back into his bed and sitting near him, his back leaning on the nightstand. "D'you wanna talk about it...?" His eyes blinked slowly as he stared at his feet. Cloud shifted on his bottom a little until he was comfortable.

The blond child shook his head. "It wasn't that bad. I just can't get to sleep because..."

Cloud understood despite his barely conscious state, or he thought he did. "I'll get the bad guys, kiddo. No one messes with my family..." He started to lean his spiky head on the mattress. Zeph felt a little perplexed about bad guys until he began to hear the werewolf's gentle snores next to him. He decided he could sleep with Cloud near him despite the snoring, shoving the covers back on his body with an amused grin.

* * *

Some time after breakfast Cloud was sent out on an errand for Tifa, and he looked down at the list of things she needed him to get for the bar. He felt suspicious, the way she pushed him out of the bar, the list of strange things he would need to get around town...He was sure they already had bananas(He could smell those) and batteries at the bar and had argued that, but Tifa wouldn't have any of it. With a sigh he had decided to walk around for the items; the stores weren't that far away and it wasn't as if there was a very long list. It was warm out, but not yet unbearable as it would be later on. The heat made him wonder if he should adopt shorts at some point in his life, then thought better of it.

He made a trip to the pharmacy down the street first, finding the medicine Tifa had requested. Cloud assumed it was for Penny to give to Ithey, and he scratched the back of his neck as he tried to figure out what brand to choose, finally settling on one with a purple label before paying for it. He looked back down at the list as he walked towards a nearby hardware store. He sniffled to take in the scents in the city, and looked about as he traveled. The streets were abuzz with humans doing this or that, a passing thought making him wonder how they'd react to the knowledge that there was a werewolf passing by them at that very moment.

 _'Let's see...She needed a pack of washers...'_ Cloud went down several isles after entering the large building, looking for the little round bits. He wondered if it was for something he'd have to repair in the house soon, a usual occurrence for him when he hadn't been making deliveries. Eventually he found the little things in an isle towards the back and went to pay for them, but looked about. He felt like someone was following him now, and it was putting him on edge. He left the store quickly, then looked down his list again. Bananas and batteries. _'What a strange list.'_

He walked towards the grocer, plucking his phone out of his back pocket to check the time; it was already 11:30. The sun was beating down harder upon the city, and he wiped sweat from his brow as he finally reached his next destination. The feeling of being followed hadn't let up, and he frowned. He wondered who could possibly be watching him as he looked about his surroundings, and hoped it was just Yuffie trying to surprise him or something. Cloud sighed in resignation as he entered the cool store. He began to look about for the batteries requested by his loving, perplexing wife, the thought making him smile to himself. The warrior knew this store well after having to fetch milk or something else forgotten that was needed for dinner many an evening. The batteries requested were hanging on a display in the electronics section, filled with cheap music players and memory sticks.

After a few minutes of deliberation he chose the brand he saw most of the time in the house, then turned to some light bulbs resting behind him. Cloud took a box, figuring it wouldn't hurt to have a few extra in case one blew. _'Finally, bananas...'_ He went towards the produce section, the vivid yellow fruits beckoning him to come closer. Cloud winced, disliking the astringent smell of the fruit's peel, but continued on with his investigation of which ones would be best for the other inhabitants of the house. They were hyper sweet mush in his mouth anymore, and as he found an almost ripe bunch, he felt a pang of wistfulness for days past when he truly enjoyed the tropical fruit.

Bringing himself to the front to wait in line, he looked about as the line slowly made headway. Cloud's stomach growled, the smell from the meat counter not doing him any favors; he wondered if he could find something to snack on over there but thought better of it, not wanting to ruin his appetite when he got home. How would he eat it, anyway, he wondered. Raw? Not that he hadn't eaten meat raw before but it'd look rather grisly in public. He furrowed his brow, still unsure what Tifa had been cooking early this morning that smelled so good. It was meat, he could catch that much, but what kind of meat? Mentally shrugging, he decided he'd find out when she gave him some later, a promise he'd hold her to. As his turn in line came up, Cloud purchased the items, then quickly made for the exit and hopefully a lunch involving that mystery food.

Cloud looked about again, thinking about the best route to take home. He moved towards a small, shady street, disliking the midday sun on his fair skin. The warrior crossed the hot parking lot and peeked both ways before crossing the street with his bags gently swinging upon his arm. After taking a few steps on the sidewalk he paused to look behind him with a frown; he knew he had been followed! The two from the bar last night were watching him nearby. What to do? He looked about with his eyes, unsure how to approach them.

Intimidate them? Maybe. Cloud looked the taller one in the eyes, then casually walked closer to the duo with a stony face. The shorter one, about his own height with short blond hair, took a small step back as if surprised by the brazen action; he was obviously afraid of him, and it wasn't just from his scent. _'Don't run...I might decide to chase you.'_ Cloud stopped a few feet from them and cocked his head. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The short one spoke up. "Uh, fancy meeting you here!" He gave an unconvincing grin.

Cloud snorted. "Why are you two following me?"

The tall one drawled out, "we aren't...we're havin' a day off, enjoyin' the plaza. Right, Ichi?" The other nodded his head quickly.

The blond haired warrior looked at both of them with a withering look, then stared at Ichi's healing arm. "What happened to your arm?" he asked innocently.

Ichi didn't respond except to swallow hard and look fearfully into the werewolf's eyes. Cloud knew he knew, and he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the guy despite the considerable pain and worry he had given him. He shook his head. "I guess it's dangerous being a peacekeeper."

"Yeah. Especially when there's werewolves about, killin' people," the taller fellow said with an accusatory voice.

"Merle..."

"Oh, it was a werewolf attack? You're lucky it didn't kill you." Cloud raised a brow at the two. "Did you finish it off?"

Merle glowered back. "No, _it_ got away. We're staking _it_ out."

"Oh. Are you the hunter that the WRO has finding the werewolves now?" the warrior asked casually.

"...No. This is personal. Y-It killed our friend, so we're gonna kill it." Merle's voice was low. Ichi gave a few nervous nods of his head.

Cloud put his free hand up to his chin. "My condolences," and he truly meant it, "but you may as well leave it to the local hunter, don't you think?"

Merle tilted his head forward slightly, giving a threatening glare to his black eyes. "Well, we know where this one lives..."

Cloud gave a narrow eyed glare back. "And where would that be?"

"With some foolish woman."

Cloud sneered, but said nothing back. _'Calling Tifa foolish...Tool.'_

"Uh, Merle—"

"You should leave it to the hunter, then. He's bagged several werewolves already, you know," Cloud interrupted. "Seems he might be better at catching them than you two, no offense."

Ichi frowned. "We don't even know where he's stationed." He wondered why the hell he talking fondly about a guy that kills werewolves efficiently.

"I think you've been there recently." Cloud gave a smirk at their confused faces. "Well, I better be going. Enjoy your day off." He turned around and walked away towards a side road that lead to the bar. He disappeared into the crowd, leaving the two peacekeepers to fruitlessly look for him.

Cloud ambled through the crowd, just wanting to finally get home. He had those bumbling hunters on his tracks now, and he doubted his indirect confrontation would stop them from hounding him. Maybe he'd have to kill them after all. He stopped in his tracks momentarily. _'That's not who I am, is it?'_ He frowned. He'd come up with another way if he could, and hoped to not have another showdown with the two. No one else had to die, if they would only go away, he thought.

Beginning his walk towards home again, he began to smell something that was definitely cooking meat as he came up to the bar, and it was making his mouth water...That was steak! Steak for lunch? Cloud was a little confused but not unhappy, though he figured his would be cold by now. He would be late getting back. He made his way to the door, the "Closed" sign swinging on the handle, and he frowned. Tifa closed the bar for the day? He figured everyone had already ate already and the lunch crowd would be in full swing. Fiddling with his back pocket and then fidgeting a key into the front door, he opened up and came inside, then fished the keys out and back into his pocket before closing the door and locking it again. He looked back towards the galley. "Tifa, I got the stuff—"

A chorus of various voices blew through his ears. "Happy birthday!"

He looked around in a surprised daze; Tifa, Barret, Cait Sith, Penny and the three children were smiling at him from the counter. His eyes widened a little bit in shock before he blushed, and he walked forward to greet them with a shy smile growing on his lips. "T-thanks!" He looked down. "I actually forgot it was my birthday..."

Barret patted him hard on the back, causing him to grunt. "We got yo back, Spiky! If you don't remember, we will!"

The children came towards him, bounding over with a crudely wrapped gift. He crouched down to take it, and noticed it was rectangular in shape. He cocked his head, wondering what they would give him; Cloud tore off the wrapping and stared at a crudely painted picture on a thick paper of him and Tifa on Fenrir, with yellow flowers everywhere and his sword out as he charged some ugly looking monster. It looked sort of like a Behemoth.

Marlene pointed at the bottom of the painting. "I painted the flowers, 'cause you like them so much!"

"I think I painted your bike pretty good!" Denzel said proudly.

Zeph grinned as he pointed at the purple monster. "I painted him, I made him look pretty scary, didn't I?"

Cloud gave them a huge grin, then hugged them tightly. "It looks great. I'm gonna hang it in the garage, so I see it every time I work on Fenrir, or train you." The children gave gleeful giggles before he stood up, giving the painting another glance before looking up at the other adults. He reverently placed the gift on the counter next to him as he came to sit down after his long errand. There was a gift from Barret that he was holding in both hands, which looked to be a new leather bracer.

"That one's reinforced and it's rare dragon leather, too." Barret handed it to his friend, and Cloud looked it over before trying on the black band. It fit him well, and had several materia slots on the side. He flexed it a bit with a grin.

"Thanks. I needed a new one!"

Tifa placed a plate with a thick steak on it next to him. She collected some of the other plates, Penny helping behind her, giving them out to the people in the room with their preferred doneness. Zeph had been troublesome to pinpoint what he wanted, since he had never had steak before. She placed a dish in front of him. "It's right in the middle," she assured him.

She went to sit next to Cloud. He was already happily chomping on his steak; Penny and Barret were on the other side of the counter, eating and talking between themselves and Cait Sith. The warrior was happily perplexed that the big guy was socializing with the werewolf, mostly about adventures they'd had. Happy adventures. _'Penny can weasel her way into anyone's heart, I guess.'_ Barret gave a huge laugh as she regaled a tale of how her mate, Ithey, once had to chase after a squirrel that took off with his last pair of socks into the woods. Despite Penny's efforts to track it, they never found the little critter.

Cloud looked back at Tifa. "Thank you. This is great, Teef." He gave her a big, genuine smile, making her grin back.

"You remembered mine when I forgot it...I guess we're even, then," she said with a wink, before eating a slice of her steak.

They ate their lunches while speaking of this or that. Zeph had frowned at one point as a red, bloody fluid pooled on his plate and stained his vegetables; Tifa had to convince him that yes, it was normal, and no, it wasn't actually blood, Barret agreeing to soothe his concerns.

"I like well done myself, 'cause I don't like that all on my plate. But there ain't nothin' wrong with it!" he said. Barret pointed his thumb at Cloud, who held a piece of particularly red steak on his fork. "Now, his steak can still moo!"

Cloud scoffed as a few chuckles came to his ears. "You know it's fresh if it does that," he joked.

Zeph smiled at the banter and nodded, then studied the meat he had been eating. "I guess it's kinda weird, but I do like it," he said sheepishly.

Denzel gave a half smile. "Most people do."

After they were done, Tifa brought out a cake she had made during the morning as Cloud looked about town for the things she had asked for. It was a cake of blue and yellow frosting, because Marlene insisted it look a little like the birthday boy. Cloud smiled, and despite having no love for sweets any longer said he'd have a piece. Tifa shook her head and he frowned.

"I know you don't like sweets anymore. So, I looked up something that you might like, a recipe from Mideel. Um, by the way you were acting this morning, I think I might have struck gold..." She smiled while blushing.

"What was it? I'm kinda desperate to try some," he said, excited he'd finally try whatever she had been cooking earlier.

"You'll see!" Tifa said before she sliced into the cake and serving it out on plates. Then she went to the fridge, fishing something out on one of the lower shelves. She returned with two plates she uncovered, placing one in front of Cloud, then placing the other in front of Penny. She came back to her husband, hands on the counter. "It's a fine meat pate, made with something called sweetbreads. I figured it might be similar in texture to a cheesecake to you, but I'm not a werewolf...I don't know for sure if it'll be like that at all." Tifa tapped her fingers on the counter, looking at him and then the mound on his plate.

Cloud looked at the small brown tower, silently sniffing it. It smelled amazing to him, and he took a fork to slice at it. He took a bite, and found the texture to be soft and velvety, and the flavor not quite like the meat he'd had in the past. It was tangy and almost sweet in a good way, his taste buds yearning for more. "It's really good," Cloud said hungrily. Penny agreed, appreciating the pate and happily wolfing it down.

"Guess I'll call it Werewolf's Delight," Tifa joked.

"It really is a delight!" Penny chimed as she ate. "Hey, Cait Sith, you want a bite?"

The robot cat shook his head with a laugh. "Sorry lassy, I cannae eat!"

Barret shook his head as he bit into another forkful of his chocolate cake."I'll keep to cake, myself," he mumbled.

Cloud snorted. "I kind of miss it, how it tasted. But this is really good, too." He took another bite, appreciating all the work Tifa put into his birthday meal. He looked back at the children, and they were happily eating their dessert. Marlene's lips, despite the amount of times she wiped at them, were beginning to stain blue. He turned back with a smile tugging at his lips still, and looked Tifa in the eye. "Thank you, Teef." 

She winked at him. "Later on, I'll give you your present."

* * *

Penny waved goodbye to everyone before hopping onto Fenrir and after Marlene gave her a big hug. Even Zeph gave her a little smile before she left, and Denzel pat his shoulder for encouragement. A leather knapsack gifted by Barret with supplies for Ithey and her home was hanging from her shoulder and resting on the opposite hip. Her feet were trying to find a good resting place on the large motorcycle; as interested in riding it as she had been the first time she laid eyes on it, Fenrir was almost intimidating to attempt to sit on.

"Thank you so much for everything! Hope to see you all soon!" she chimed, and then, holding onto Cloud's shoulders, they zoomed off towards her home in the afternoon sunlight. Her eyes looked this way and that as she soaked in the city's sights as they drove through Edge on the motorcycle, the smell of humans and dust and steel a contrast to her forest home. Eventually they ended up in the Midgar Wastes, the seemingly endless expanse of dusty dead fields almost depressing compared to the lively city or the greenery of the Junon area. They merged onto a road that went to Junon, and Cloud sped up as the road's traffic grew nonexistent.

Finally they reached the green zone between Midgar and Junon, the rocky land bridge opened up by the Lifestream smoothed over by WRO workers almost a year ago for vehicle travel. The air was far more familiar and clean here to Penny, who smiled at the thought of seeing Ithey again. A few moments later and she softly frowned as she caught Cloud's scent. "What's wrong?"

Cloud looked back towards her. "The people behind us have been following for a while now." He guessed it was those bumbling idiots again, since it looked like one of the WRO's vehicles. He slowed down, then came to a rest on the side of the road before taking his main sword out of the bike holster and into his back sheath after hopping off. "Stay here."

Penny nodded, and she looked back at the scene unfolding behind her. She hoped Cloud wouldn't have to use his blade on whoever they were.

Just as Cloud predicted, it was them. The WRO vehicle stopped close by, and Ichi and Merle were there, staring at him. While Ichi looked like he just wanted to go home and forget anything happened, Merle was obviously out for blood. They got out, and Cloud immediately noticed the holsters on their hips. He narrowed his eyes at the duo. "What brings you out here?" He slowly walked towards them, stopping five feet away as they nervously took out their guns. At that moment, he was glad he had taken his sword with him.

"Got yourself another victim?" Merle spit out venomously, letting down the charade from earlier.

Cloud sighed. "Yeah, sure. 'Another victim'. Look, I wanna get home soon, so..."

"So what?" Merle asked as Ichi nervously watched.

Cloud closed his eyes under his goggles as he lifted a hand; little marbles were glinting in the sunlight on his bracer. "So... _Sleep._ "

They immediately fell to the ground, asleep. "Tifa told me to be prepared..." he mumbled with a smirk. The warrior took their guns and fished about their jeep, taking the keys and searching for any possible weapons on board. Satisfied, he made his way back to Fenrir, and zoomed off towards his destination again. Penny looked back, feeling perplexed.

"What happened to them?"

"I used a sleep spell on them. They should be out for about half an hour." He was grinning as he said it. The teen snorted at his little trick, remembering that people used materia for many things still. After a while longer Cloud went off the road, taking his bike toward the secret path that led to Penny's shack. They trundled on, and he slowed Fenrir as they approached the tunnel of dark trees. The dirt path was bumpy and made them both shake upon the bike. Cloud let out a pained grunt at one point as a particularly harsh bump made him rise and fall on his more sensitive areas. He bit his lip and winced, hoping to not hit that again on his return trip.

As they entered the clearing, a sick Ithey that stood at the front of the shack came into view. Cloud noticed that their living area had been improved with the supplies they had been given; the roof had makeshift bark tiles and a raw looking front door, and their wild garden had rope barriers now. He stopped the bike halfway through the clearing and slid off the seat, then helped Penny off. She bounded over to her mate and hugged him fiercely.

"Oh, Ithey! I hope you were alright while I was gone..." she cooed to the sick teen.

He sniffled. "I was afraid you'd get hurt, Penelope," Ithey mumbled. His eyes were rheumy and his nose was running. He looked at her as if she was missing something, then he smiled after sniffling again. "You got a haircut..."

She cocked her head with a warm smile. "Isn't it nice? Tifa did it!"

"You've looked better, Ithey." Cloud approached them, and held out a thermos. "Here, Tifa made this soup. We figured you just have a flu, so just try and rest and stay warm..." He chuckled. "Well, I guess she can keep you pretty warm." He remembered how Penny's fur was somewhat longer than his own, and probably came in handy during the winter. Even now, it would be useful; it wasn't nearly as hot here as it was in Edge.

Ithey gave a ghost of a smile, taking the warm container into his hand. "Thanks for this, and keepin' Penny out of trouble." The young woman grinned, whispering assurances to her mate that she had been safe in the city.

"I better get going, now. Penny, we'll come by after the next Full Moon to camp, if that's okay with you?" Cloud asked.

Penny nodded enthusiastically. "I'll be sniffin' around for ya!" Ithey raised a brow, but decided to ask later, when he felt better.

Cloud nodded and said his goodbyes, then hopped onto his bike, slowly disappearing into the woods again. Penny rustled through her new knapsack, finally finding the medicine Tifa had given her for her mate. She gave him the package, and he took a couple of the pills after reading the directions, drinking from a water pouch to wash them down. He sighed as he made his way back into the shack with the soup thermos while Penny stripped her dress off.

"Comin' in, Penelope?" he asked hopefully. "...Or goin' out?"

"In! I have to keep you warm, remember?" she chimed.

* * *

Cloud zoomed off on his bike as soon as he hit the road, and wondered to himself whether he should let the hunters have their keys back or not. The sun was slowly beginning its afternoon descent towards the horizon, and he really didn't feel like having to deal with them after a nice birthday party. He wanted to just go home and spend time with everyone. 

He figured that Ichi guy just wanted to forget everything that happened, but Merle was after him like he broke his pride. What the hell was his problem, Cloud wondered? Maybe that Harry fellow was a good friend of his. The thought caused Cloud to frown, displeasure written on his face. Everyone had to have a backstory, didn't they? He squeezed Fenrir's steering handles.

But, he had given them ample time to go away that night. _'Am I angry at them, or myself? Maybe both.'_

Soon he found himself back at the same place he left them after flooring Fenrir as fast as it would go with no one on his back. Slowing down he approached the two sitting in the jeep at a crawl, all the while shaking his head at them. They looked like they hadn't been awake for very long. "You two should just stick to peacekeeping," Cloud said as he stopped the bike next to their vehicle.

He took his goggles off, and stared them both down. Merle narrowed his eyes as he clenched his fist on the wheel, and Cloud casually draped an arm on Ichi's door after he had gotten off Fenrir; the blond haired man was looking back up at Cloud nervously, much too close for his comfort.

Merle's accusation was quick and harsh. "Done eating that poor girl, you monster?"

"I took her home."

Merle knew Junon was that way, and that place was a den of monsters in the underground. "I'm sure you did," he replied sarcastically.

Cloud looked down at Ichi, the man wide eyed under his short bangs; he then made eye contact with Merle again. What could he say to him? His friend was dead. "Are you trying to get yourself or your other friend here killed?"

The tall man said nothing.

Cloud shook his head. "If I wanted to, I could kill you both right now. I won't, even if it'd be the easier route. I'm giving you a chance to walk away, here."

Ichi looked back between the two with an agitated, nervous glare, wondering if his friend would take the offer. Merle sat frozen for a moment, staring unblinkingly into the werewolf's eyes. Cloud watched him, his brow raised as he waited for an answer. As soon as he glanced down towards the angry man's friend again Merle lunged, a silver dagger in his hand; the warrior grasped his wrists as his belly laid atop Ichi's chest. Cloud looked down a moment, panting softly.

"You're out of your league," Cloud snarled in a low voice, then looked up with a feral face. Merle's eyes went to his teeth, the points glistening back at him. The warrior grabbed the offending wrist harder until the peacekeeper finally let go with a groan, and then he was shoved back into his seat, his back flopping against the metal door. The werewolf sent a hostile stare at him, and then at Ichi. "You're making this _really_ hard right now."

"God, Merle, just let him go!" Ichi said, fed up with being on the whims of his friend and the werewolf that nearly killed him.

Merle said nothing. He just stared into those feral blue eyes glaring at him from across the vehicle.

"I'm telling you this one last time, leave me alone. I don't want to have to kill you, so why press your luck?" Cloud was dumbfounded.

Ichi let out a nervous breath, so close to the one who knocked him across the wastes! "Please, can we just—"

Merle growled, "when the WRO finds out about you and your little hidey hole..."

Cloud's face went from a cruel glare to a knowing smile. Merle...This was the same one Barret mentioned, wasn't it? He dropped the keys to the jeep in Ichi's lap. "I'm sure they'll have the hunter after me." He took the silver dagger and tossed it as hard as he could, then sat back on his idling motorcycle. Looking back at the two as he placed his goggles back on, he grinned. "I'm keepin' the guns, though."

He floored Fenrir, knowing the jeep could never catch up when he went at max speeds. A small laugh left him as he flew into Edge. Those two would never have a chance.

* * *

"You know, Cloud...You're hard to shop for sometimes," Tifa said as she turned towards the dresser while Cloud sat on the bed, leaning back on his hands. He was wearing his usual bed clothing, despite the heat.

"I don't need anything, Teef. The birthday party was a gift enough," he responded; it truly was plenty given by her.

She giggled. "Still...I got you something cute. Maybe you can put it in your office or on your nightstand..." Tifa turned around, holding a little white box. She handed it to Cloud, who tilted his head slightly as he fumbled with the top. He opened it up and tilted the box, letting the contents slip into his other hand gently. Cloud lifted the gift to his gaze, studying it.

It was a statuette of a sitting grey wolf staring off contentedly on a flower covered field, the backdrop a blue sky covered in puffy white clouds. It was a little bit larger than his hand and finely detailed. Cloud smiled, running his finger gently upon it. "I like it."

"It reminded me of you...My Cloudy Wolf." She gave a chuckle, covering her mouth with her hand. Cloud placed the little gift on his nightstand and looked back at Tifa; her red eyes glinted gently in the bedroom's soft light, her skimpy lingerie showing off her shapely body to him. She cocked her head, self conscious from his stare. "Cloud?"

"Cloudy Wolf...Guess I am a wolf, aren't I?" His voice sounded slightly amused, the little pet name growing on him. He looked down, studying the floor and his feet for a moment.

Tifa nodded. "And you're Cloud," she offered.

He looked over her again, lingering on her long legs for a few moments, and then into her soft, ruby eyes. "Hm. That stuff you made was almost like a sweet to me..." He had hunched over slightly with his hands on his knees, almost like a predator watching prey to anyone but the woman in front of him.

She took a step closer, Cloud's eyes glinting momentarily as her movement brought her right in front of him. "Was it?" Tifa appreciated the input.

"Yeah. But...you know, Tifa..." He suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him; he grasped Tifa as she reached his chest and rolled her onto the mattress, propping up his body with his arms as she sunk beneath him. She squeaked in surprise and elation as he did so, making him grin. Cloud put one of his hands under her neck and tilted her mouth as he brought his face down. He kissed her, licking her lips until she opened up to him so he could push his tongue through. She moaned as he explored her mouth and caressed her tongue, and she returned the actions happily. Her hands slowly wrapped themselves into the soft spiky hair on the back of his head. He probed her sweet mouth, using his free hand to slowly caress down her face to her neck.

Finally he parted after several minutes, the both of them panting softly. He gave her a lustful, half lidded gaze, her own visage flushing as her long lashes nearly hid those ruby irises that Cloud treasured. "You taste pretty sweet, too," he said in a husky, low voice while moving a hand to her flushed cheek, rubbing it softly with his thumb.

Tifa hummed her pleasure to him. She took her hands away from his head and placed them under his T-shirt, rubbing his powerful chest muscles upward and down. His skin heated up as her fingers danced about and her nails scrapped gently across the pale skin. He sucked in a hiss as he clenched his jaw, pushing his hips into hers, and she shuddered as she closed her eyes from the delightful friction it was causing. He lowered himself towards her sensitive neck and he nibbled it gently, caressing it with his tongue as he went along, mindful of his canines. At the crook of her neck he sucked gently, causing her to moan softly and squirm underneath him; Cloud brought one of his hands to search Tifa's lingerie for a breast to fondle as he sucked harder, causing her to whimper in his ear. He continued to grind against her, his growing arousal rubbing against Tifa's core.

"Ah..." She took her hands to his back, and grazed it with her nails as she dug in, making him groan softly as she slid her fingers down his spine, and a level of control slipped as the mild pain nipped through his skin. Cloud kissed her neck fiercely and slowly made his way toward her sternum and then her chest; he fumbled with the front of her lingerie with a hand, finally removing the fabric covering her chest, and held her breast as it finally bounced out. He placed his mouth over her nipple and sucked while lapping his tongue over the sensitive tip, the action getting a moan out of Tifa and for her to tear her nails up his back; he ground into her hips harder now, slowly losing his mind to the sensations and the soft sounds his lover made. He groaned as she scratched him, and in return he gently twisted her other nipple to be rewarded with a louder moan and Tifa's body shuddering beneath him.

Cloud returned to her face, Tifa flush and breathing heavily. She tugged at his T-shirt, and he got the hint immediately, taking off the article of clothing quickly. Tifa ran her hands on the back of his head, feeling the soft spikes, then lowered him to her mouth again, feeling his searing hot skin on her exposed bosom as he rested on top of her. Tifa brought her hips up to Cloud's as he continued grinding, feeling his hard arousal; he groaned into her mouth as she did so, and he brought his hand gently down towards his hips, awkwardly slipping off his pajama bottoms. He kicked them off as soon as he moved them past his knees, then pressed against her again, making her whisper a moan as he sucked on her lower lip.

He loved hearing her sexy moans, a special pleasure all for him. It excited him and sent chills down his spine, just like her scent did when she was like this; he removed his lips from hers and went to remove the rest of her skimpy outfit, making her mewl his name. They both shifted, Tifa separating her legs further and Cloud positioning himself as he sat on his knees. He looked her over with lust filled feral eyes, softly trailing a hand from Tifa's hip to her folds and slowly moved his fingers over her sensitive nub, the other hand admiring her creamy, smooth thigh as he rubbed it sensually. She bit her lip as he did so, lulling her head to the side as her dark hair framed her face and splayed over the pillows. Cloud observed the look on her face, full of erotic pleasure. Tifa was softly whispering his name while pushing her hips up rhythmically.

She was breathing harder now, softly whimpering as he played with her. Cloud was pushing softly against her with his aching arousal, then slowly buried himself in her as he groaned from the sensation; Tifa moved her hips up again, moving them to the sides and causing him to clench his jaw and growl lowly. He brought his hands near Tifa's head, careful of her locks, and grasped the blanket beneath her as he slowly set up the tempo. His strokes became faster and stronger, his eyes glazing over as he fanned hot breaths into Tifa's ear. Her excited breathing urged him on as it whispered into his own ear before she tongued his wolf stud.

Tifa wrapped her legs around her lover's hips tightly, bringing them up to meet a stroke here and there, his soft curses as the movement hit a sweet spot falling out of his mouth. Cloud began to feel her clench down on him, her nails digging hard into his back as she quickly gasped her breaths. He gave a soft growl at the pinpricks of pain, and continued his powerful thrusts into her as the scratches egged him on. Her breasts bounced about from it, grazing his searing, sweaty chest with hard, cool nipples. Tifa clenched down hard, and Cloud went to cover her mouth with his own as she let out a wail in an attempt to keep the noise down; some conscious part of him still remembered there were others in the house asleep as he darted his tongue in.

As Tifa quieted down her clenching didn't quite let up, assisting Cloud as he went over the edge. He brought himself to stand on his knees again, and lifted her hips as he quickly thrust deep and hard into her, his face a mess of concentration and flushed bliss. He raised his head up slowly as he panted heavily, and after several more strokes a violent, powerful shudder went down his spine that caused him to groan lowly and clench her hips hard, pushing himself as far as he could into her.

After one last quivering thrust he gently fell on her, still propping himself with his elbows and his ear on her shoulder as he breathed heavily, listing to her quick heartbeat. Tifa released her legs' vice grip on his hips while humming softly and tracing shapes along her lover's back lazily. After a few moments he went to kiss her cheek, glancing his fingers on the other. She rubbed the back of his head, causing him to contentedly sigh and close his eyes as the sensation ran over his scalp.

Tifa giggled. "Happy Birthday, Cloud."


	31. Fun and Gloom

The week after Cloud's birthday had been peaceful, with the exception of another werewolf slaughtered by he and Barret in Sector Two. Cloud had sniffed out the challenger in some old, unused sewer, and after a small skirmish in the narrow tunnel he had dodged several of its attacks before giving Barret an opening to shoot it. As much as Cloud had wanted to go after more, he knew Barret couldn't see as well as him, and he himself had yet to grow comfortable with the rank metallic scent clinging to the air of the sewer.

Later on that week Barret had departed yet again for Junon, giving a teary goodbye hug to his daughter before he left and demanding Cloud keep her safe from any of the other werewolves that prowled the city. Of course, Penny was the exception when she happened to be in Edge.

As Cloud busied himself working on Fenrir, he fell deep into thought. During his short journey with Penny they small talked, and he had asked her how much of her time she went about as a wolf out of curiosity. Cloud's eyes had widened under his goggles when she had said roughly a quarter to half a day or more as a beast, depending on the season or for whatever reason. Here he was, rarely ever fully changing unless he had to.

He had felt a tiny twang of jealousy.

 _'The more you change, the more your brain seems to sync with it all! Or, that's what it felt like to me.'_ That was what Penny had said. She went from dull, simple thinking he himself was starting to finally grow out of, to something slightly different than her usual self; instincts were still there, but hell, humans had them too, Cloud thought. He cranked a bolt as he continued to ponder, wondering when he should play around as a beast again. Maybe he could take a nap or something as a big bad wolf, as Marlene and Denzel liked to call him as a joke. Maybe tonight, he thought...There just wasn't that much he could do in the city that wouldn't spell trouble for himself or others.

Cloud heard footsteps approach the door as he sat himself up, wiping grease off of his fingers. Just as his ears predicted, it was Denzel, the boy opening the door and giving Cloud a welcoming smile as he came into the garage and closed the door behind him. He walked over to his hero, then sat next to him on the floor.

"Hey, Denzel. What're you up to?" Cloud asked, wiping at his palm.

Denzel shrugged. "I was gonna watch you work on Fenrir, but I guess I'm a little late..."

Cloud nodded. "Just finished." He smiled lightly. "Did you wanna do something?"

"It's still too hot outside to do anything. Could you practice with me, in here?" Denzel held a hopeful expression.

Cloud stood up and helped Denzel up with a hand. "If you want. It's too hot to go after werewolves out there, anyway."

Denzel nodded with a happy grin and went for the practice stave and sword, then jogged back and handed the sword to Cloud. They both went over to the open space on the far side of the garage, and Cloud looked up and smiled at the framed painting he had placed on the wall nearby that the children had made for him. He looked back down towards Denzel, the boy preparing his stance for the sparring session to come.

"You've been getting pretty good at this," Cloud said as he went to softly jab at Denzel's chest. The wooden blade was deflected by the side of the rod, then Denzel twirled his weapon to use the other end; Cloud dodged as it went to poke his belly with a growing grin on his face. He brought the wooden sword down again, this time towards Denzel's other shoulder. Denzel was grazed but he pushed it back, and he tried to walk towards Cloud to do an actual attack. His mentor pushed closer in the subtle game of chicken, whacking the middle of the stick hard enough to drop it a few inches, then gently prodded Denzel's chest.

"...You died." Cloud wasn't trying to hide his amusement.

"Man..." Denzel prepared himself again, and they went at it; Cloud kept a restrained tempo that was enough to challenge the boy and allow a few hits in here and there to give Denzel a sense of accomplishment. They sparred like this for the better part of an hour. In the end Cloud had tried to show Denzel how to take an opponent off their feet with the stick.

"I know I don't know much about rods, but you can do this with a sword, too." He showed him how to angle the end of his stick when it was wedged between the legs, and the force needed to trip an opponent. Cloud let Denzel try it on him, and after a few attempts he finally managed to properly trip his mentor, a big smile forming on both of their faces as they crashed down to the floor.

"That was good. It'll be a lot more difficult against a monster or a werewolf though...Well, a standing werewolf has a different balance. I think you're better off swiping the ankle, but I can't be too sure." Cloud scratched his chin as he tried to remember what his balance felt like changed as he sat on the ground, while Denzel looked up at him with a mischievous look. Cloud brought his eyes down to the child and raised a brow, unsure what he wanted.

"We could try it out," Denzel offered.

Cloud balked. "What? No way!"

"I know you're embarrassed, but you want me to be prepared, right?" Denzel prodded.

Cloud swallowed and darted his eyes about. "Yeah, but..." It would give him a chance to let loose in a fashion, he reasoned. It was still embarrassing, like he wasn't supposed to show anyone that. Even if Denzel and Marlene had seen him and had been completely nonplussed, he was still easing himself into being seen by loved ones like that. As if it could possibly break their bonds. It was a silly worry, he knew, but he couldn't help it.

Denzel giggled. "I don't care what you look like, Cloud. You know that."

Cloud looked around the garage, pondering if he could indulge. "Fine, but...can you leave the garage for a few minutes?" Denzel nodded as he picked himself up, heading for the door and giving a thumbs up before shutting it closed.

Cloud sighed, then stood up. "I guess he's right," he mumbled, stripping off his pants and then his boxers before folding them and placing them on top of Fenrir. Cloud closed his eyes, then let that other shape take over his body, snapping and crunching and growing quickly; he shuddered as the fur grew out on his tough hide. He flexed his digits as they reformed, and shook his head with a grumble as he opened his eyes. Cloud's ears perked up as he heard the sounds of the bar clearer now. Patrons were eating, drinking, laughing. Tifa was talking to someone, and Denzel was tapping his finger against the door as if timing when to open it.

He looked down and softly kicked the practice sword away, not wanting to accidentally stomp on it. A moment later and the door to the bar opened. Denzel came through before shutting it closed. Cloud turned and blinked at the boy, a big grin on the child's face as he studied his furry guardian in the artificial light of the garage as he came closer. The werewolf grumbled gently, watching as Denzel gently handled his paws and touched the smooth claws cautiously. Cloud hoped he would take care.

"Okay, let's try it!" Denzel announced excitedly, picking up his wooden rod and holding it more akin to a baseball bat. Cloud motioned with a claw towards his ankle, then lifted his arms up in a mock attack; he kept them high enough where the points wouldn't come close to Denzel. The brunet gave a huge grin, then sweeped one tip of the rod under Cloud's right foot, then placed another in front of the werewolf's left ankle. Denzel gave it a push, but Cloud didn't budge. He pushed harder, then began to hear huffs coming from his mentor's mouth. "I can do it, Cloud!" he said with a frown.

 _ **'Sure you can...'**_ Cloud squinted his eyes. Denzel's words were starting to make sense now, too. He wondered if he could understand Marlene and Zeph now, too, outside of a few words here and there. He looked down, watching Denzel attempt to unbalance his legs, and let out an amused sigh while shaking his head. Denzel looked up with a pout on his lips; Cloud looked away, his mouth stretching into a grin that flashed his fangs as his chest heaved low grumbling chuckles.

"I-it's not funny..." Denzel pushed again, but Cloud very softly tapped him with the back of his hand on his back, then shook his head as the boy looked up. Cloud didn't want the weapon to break. Getting the point, Denzel backed off, and stood facing the towering beast. "So, now what?"

Cloud wasn't sure, and he shrugged. He sat down on the concrete floor, looking up as he thought and tapping a claw on the ground. His eyes wandered back to Denzel, who was studying him again; he raised a leathery brow as the child continued to observe him before walking behind him. Cloud supposed if he were in Denzel's shoes, he would probably want to study himself, too.

As Cloud continued to ponder, wondering how to safely train Denzel to defend against werewolves without possibly harming himself, he felt little arms around his neck and a weight on his back. He grumbled a query, looking back to eye the young boy draped over his back. Denzel grinned.

"Piggyback ride!" The child chimed, kicking his feet in the air. Cloud groaned as he remembered the boy's hopeful talk of such a thing not that long ago.

When was the last time he did anything close to that? Maybe a year ago, when Denzel wanted to help replace a light bulb in the hallway. Cloud had lifted the boy on his shoulders, telling him which way to unscrew the dead bulb, then taking it and handing him a new one. Not exactly fun, but Denzel was delighted at the time, and begged Cloud to carry him a little while longer. Clearing his mind, he stood on all fours, creeping about as his claws clacked against the concrete and Denzel giggled uncontrollably while leaning on Cloud's furry, powerful back. The werewolf felt a little self-conscious, but also some form of simple, silly fun he hadn't had with Denzel in a long while. It wasn't like he was parading around town like this, he thought.

As he made his wide circle around the garage his ears picked up juvenile footsteps approaching, and he turned around to look at the door as he made the full circle before sitting down to cool off. Zeph came in, oblivious to the two already occupying the large room. After shutting the door he went for his practice sword, seemingly confused as to where the second one was. He turned around to look for it, then froze when he saw what was looking at him from behind Fenrir, panting quietly with Denzel hanging off of it. His mind flashed to Valdt until reason took over; this was Cloud, not Valdt.

"Hey, Zeph!" Denzel waved and wobbled about on Cloud's slightly hunched back. The werewolf gave a whine, a warning to tell him to be careful.

"W-what are you doing?" Zeph squeaked, eyeing Cloud.

"Piggyback ride," he said matter-of-factually.

The blond frowned. "But...why?"

"I was tryin' to trip him with my practice rod, but it didn't work very well. So I got on his back," Denzel said casually. "Cloud, you should go faster!" The werewolf shook his head in response.

Zeph regarded the two. He knew he wasn't in any danger, but he still wasn't used to this part of Cloud just yet. It was still a little too much right now for him. He shook his head, a little more relaxed than before. "I'll be back later, when you two are done." Zeph quickly made his way back towards the door, and after leaving he closed it softly. Cloud and Denzel looked at each other, one upwards and the other downwards.

"I guess he's still a little scared, huh?"

Cloud gave a nod before sighing.

"He's getting better, though!" Denzel chimed happily.

Cloud played the part of a mount for a while longer. Denzel was elated with his time together with his hero, and Cloud found he enjoyed it, too. Finally, the werewolf slumped to a corner of the garage, laying himself down as he panted. Denzel slid off and laid on Cloud's side, zoning out as he looked in Fenrir's direction with his hands together on his belly.

"It must be hard, being a werewolf," Denzel said.

Cloud huffed a little through his nose. Some days could be hard.

Denzel turned his head to look towards his furry guardian. "I'm glad everything turned out okay, Cloud."

The werewolf responded with a nod, then laid his head down on his arm as Denzel rested with him. It wasn't all that bad, he thought. Especially not right now. He looked back at Denzel, who had already nodded off with half of his face hidden behind soft, golden fur. Cloud smiled softly, then decided to take that nap he wanted earlier.

* * *

"Well, the WRO hasn't been of much assistance," Ichi said as he rubbed the back of his head. He and Merle patrolled the plaza, the blond man finally able to work again after several weeks of recovery. Ichi was glad to have his rifle back after everything.

The two had made their way to Junon after their encounter with the reluctant werewolf. After the shenanigans he had pulled on them, Merle was looking to blow the cover off of his den, and Ichi corroborated the story. The head of intelligence blew them off, telling them that there was no possible way a werewolf would be living with a family, then started cackling to herself. Both could understand the reaction when they considered the outlandishness of the story. But Barret, when they finally contacted him after finding out he'd been out of town to watch over his family, had told them awkwardly that the Edge hunter would see to it.

But who was he? The werewolf showed absolutely no fear towards him.

"Neither was the barmaid this afternoon." She would hear nothing from them but their orders. They both had been suspicious of the woman since her so-called husband showed up bare chested at her bar, doubting her story as to why she was in the slums with a child. Merle wasn't sure if she was some stupid broad that thought she could change her bad boy of a werewolf, or if she was one, too. Maybe they were saving the children for later. Then again, she probably would have been out in the Midgar Wastes too, if she were in such cahoots. The peacekeeper leaned towards the former. "Foolish woman."

Ichi shrugged. "We're gonna get killed at this rate." He very much wanted to take the werewolf's offer and forget anything happened, even if he killed Harry. He knew this would be a losing battle; this wasn't a normal werewolf. Glowing eyes meant former Soldier, and a former Soldier that was also a werewolf meant that unless one of them got a lucky first shot in again, they were dead.

Merle looked back, his face showing his displeasure. "Then we get killed killing this stupid mutt."

His friend looked up at him, frowning. "Why did we have to go out there? If we hadn't..."

Merle said nothing. He looked about the plaza, observing civilians for a few moments in the evening's low light. It was turning out to be a usual night of nothing. That's when he noticed a glimmer of light from a piece of shining metal glinting in the distance, and he squinted.

It was that damned werewolf, sauntering off somewhere with several swords on his back and a cat doll of all things sitting on the harness. Maybe he would use it to bait a child, he thought.

"There he is, Ichi. Bastard." He started walking towards him, stalking him the best he could.

"Merle, he's gonna kill us, you know!" Did he not see the swords?

The tall one shook his head. "Can't surprise us this time."

They followed the werewolf distantly, watching as he slowly made his way into the darkening slums of Sector Four. Once, they thought he had caught them when he paused a moment, but then he had started off again in some other direction before Merle could put him in his targets. Sighing, they quietly made their way towards the werewolf's position as he disappeared behind the rusted metal shacks. Finally at his former position, they peeked behind the corner to see where he had gone.

The peacekeepers frowned; the werewolf was no where to be found in the darkness. Pressing forward, they quietly walked through the slums, sometimes seeing a person here and there occupying a shack, though the deeper they went in the fewer people seemed to be around. Ichi's frown deepened.

"D'you think he finds victims here?"

Merle nodded. "No doubt."

Continuing on they made their way into darker alleys, unsure where their quarry was; they turned on their hip lights so they could see something, even if it was only the path ahead. After a few minutes of getting lost they heard some growls nearby, alerting them both to the danger they were potentially in. Both peacekeepers looked about in the claustrophobic gloom, wondering where the sound had come from. Ichi wiped his forehead with his arm as his indigo eyes darted about.

"Merle, this was a stupid idea. This place is perfect for—"

Merle was smashed into a tin shack by a large foot, the thin armor on his back almost giving out under the sharpness of the taloned digits. _**"You're the one hunting us!"**_ The large beast rose up from a crouch, black fur billowing in the shadows as it turned to Ichi, the man aiming his rifle at the monster that snarled at him. His arms were shaking as flashbacks of that night almost a month ago ran through his head. He shot, ripping through a bicep which made the creature sound a screeching howl echoing through the dark slums as flesh sizzled and burned. It flailed its other arm about, and Ichi leapt back.

"Fuck!" He tried another shot but he missed, sparks flying about the panicked darkness as Ichi tried to avoid the claws of his opponent. The werewolf came closer, howling in a rage as it advanced on the peacekeeper; its injured arm stayed limp so far Ichi could see in the gloom and limited light. He was almost fighting blind, with what little light was making it into the area he could make out silhouettes and barely visible claws from his hip light's glow. Desperate, Ichi smacked the monster's hand away from his body as it came down again in an attempt to kill him with the butt of his rifle.

A thud and a surprised growl came to Ichi's ears, and then the sound of metal into flesh and blood rushing out onto the dirt. He took a few steps back, unsure what happened until he looked to the ground to see a wolf head in a growing pool of black blood, illuminated by his hip light. Suddenly, two blue dots stared at him from a shadowy silhouette that seemed to meld onto a black mound as he looked up. The dots disappeared a moment, then came back. A sigh issued from the figure, and Ichi knew immediately who it was.

"Are you two trying to get killed?" came an exasperated voice.

Ichi looked about nervously, his rifle held in front of him. "I was just—"

"He's going to get you killed, Ichi." The peacekeeper flinched as his name was uttered. He didn't know the werewolf's name, but he knew his? The shadowy figure shook his head. "Either me or some other werewolf that's not so forgiving."

Indigo eyes flashed with anger. "F-Forgiving? You killed Harry, and who knows how many else you killed besides him!"

The werewolf grunted before moving off of the mound. He moved Ichi's rifle so it wouldn't be aimed at him any longer; he was partly illuminated now. "I killed him because you were hunting me. You, and your friend Harry shot me that night, and you think I shouldn't have attacked?" The shadowy form looked back towards Merle, then back to Ichi. "Well?"

Ichi looked down, knowing the answer despite it being so unfair. Why the hell was a monster lecturing him, anyway? "...You eat people. You don't think we have a reason to hunt you?" He looked back up into the glowing blue dots, their neutral glow almost angry now.

"Eat people...You still think that?" The werewolf walked towards Merle's position. Ichi was unsure what he was up to; he aimed his gun again but held steady considering the silhouette blended in with the darkness now, and he didn't want to shoot his friend. A splash of feathery red and gold light shimmered in the darkness and Ichi heard Merle groan. The aberration had used a Phoenix Down! The werewolf walked back up to the uninjured peacekeeper, using a powerful hand to move his gun to point towards the ground.

"It didn't infect him. Just stop while you're ahead, or you're gonna end up dead." The werewolf disappeared after a swift noise came to Ichi's ear, leaving him alone with his groaning friend. He rushed to Merle, almost tripping over him in the process. leaning over, he patted the barely conscious man's cheek.

"Merle! Hey! Stay up, man..."

Merle groaned, then opened his eyes. "...Did you get it?"

Ichi let out a pathetic laugh. "No. The one we followed got it."

Merle was silent, the man's pride broken again and his friend's killer still alive. He hissed out a long sigh. "...At least another one's dead. Not the one I want, but..."

The peacekeeper's friend helped him up slowly, then assisted him out of the alley and back the way they came as best he could. Ichi knew if he just went east they'd reach the city proper no matter what. "I really don't know why he didn't let that thing finish us."

Merle thought to himself as they trundled down the dirt path in the dark. "Who knows. Maybe it thinks an act of mercy is a good trade." He thought some more, wincing as he moved strained muscles. "That wolf doesn't seem to have any worry about the WRO..."

Ichi's eyes looked about as he frowned. "He talked fondly of the hunter and said we'd already been to his station."

"Barret didn't give out the place, either. Or a name." Merle frowned. "Ichi, how did he kill the other werewolf?"

Ichi squinted his eyes. "He jumped on top and decapitated it..." He looked towards his friend. "...You don't think..."

"The president's friend...?" Merle was baffled at the possible conclusion.

* * *

"Yeh sure showed that beasty!" Cait Sith cheered as he held onto First Tsurugi. Cloud leaped over the shanties' rooftops, heading home. He grunted in response as he focused on his jumps.

"...I don't know why that guy won't take a hint."

The robotic cat shook its head. "What a tricky situation. I don't know how ye'll resolve it, 'cause he's oot for blood!"

With one last jump the warrior softly landed on the ground then began walking towards Edge. "I guess reassignment wouldn't work?"

"No, they both live here with their families. Sorry, Cloud," Cait Sith squeaked, Reeve obviously the one dictating the words that time and not the AI.

Cloud clenched his gloved hands, making the leather squeak. "Damn it." Things were easier when he knew less. "I guess your lecture to Barret years ago is hittin' me now." He paused in his travels, wanting to clear his mind. He leaned against a building and took in a deep breath, then let it out through his nose.

The cat chuckled. "I suppose so. This is a little different, I would think."

"Yeah. I regret it happened, but..." He looked down.

"You aren't the only one making choices."

Cloud nodded before continuing on. "It sure feels like mine have the most weight attached to them, though."

Walking into the plaza after many minutes of silence, Cloud made his way towards home as stars twinkled in the darkness. He wiped his brow of sweat, the night cooler than the day, but still somewhat oppressive. He looked about as he made his way towards his neighborhood, hoping he kept the place a little bit safer after killing another werewolf.

He walked down the dark street, looking at the stars during his stroll home; stars always reminded him of Tifa. The water tower, under the Highwind, the ring he gave her...Cloud let out a wistful sigh, continuing on with his quiet walk. He wondered if the two peacekeepers had found their way out of the slums, or if Merle would ever give up his desire to kill him. He wondered if Merle thought killing him would make his family feel safer, and he concluded on some level it would, though revenge was probably at the forefront. He came to Seventh Heaven a few minutes later, happy to finally be home.

After entering the bar, Cloud quietly walked towards the counter after locking the door. He assumed Tifa was in the shower considering the hour and noise from upstairs. As he came through the other side he was immediately smashed into by a somewhat upset Marlene. The girl pouted at him, and he cocked his head, wondering what the trouble was. "...Everything okay, Marlene?"

She stomped her foot. "I wanna play, too!"

He blinked, confused. "Huh?"

"Denzel told me after dinner that he got to piggyback with you! I wanna piggyback, too!" Her voice was firm on the matter.

"...Oh." He let out a sigh. He should have figured it would come up eventually. "Not tonight, Marlene." He supposed he had opened the floodgates this afternoon.

Marlene gave her saddest pout. "Tomorrow...?"

Cloud snorted, then picked the girl up, giving her a pat on the back. "...I guess so...fine," he said reluctantly. He climbed the stairs as he talked, while Marlene looked at him. "I was more worried you wanted me to do another tea party."

The little girl giggled. "We can do that too! Or play stories! I'll be Little Red Riding Hood and you'll be the Big Bad Wolf!" She had a large grin on her face.

Cloud chuckled. "What if I wanna be Little Red Riding Hood?" he joked as he opened the door to the children's room.

"Cloud!" Marlene was laughing, and Cloud was giving her a goofy smile as he placed her on her bed. Denzel raised a brow as he and Zeph read a comic on his bed. Cloud took Cait Sith off of his back and placed it next to her pillow, the girl always enjoying the company of the robotic animal whenever it came by. Cloud tucked Marlene in, and he assured her again they could play tomorrow if she really wanted to.

Cloud looked back at Denzel and Zeph, the latter hopping off the bed and waiting by the door; Denzel put away his comic book and scrambled under the covers as Cloud sat next to him gingerly to say goodnight.

Denzel gave him a huge grin. "I had a lot of fun this afternoon!"

Cloud blushed, but gave a half smile. "...I think I did too," he mumbled.

"We should totally do that when we go camping!"

Zeph let out a disapproving grunt, and Cloud looked back at him sympathetically. He looked towards Denzel again, and ruffled his hair before rising again. "We'll see." He moved towards the door, and reached out for Zeph's waiting hand. He turned back a moment, flicking the light switch and saying goodnight.

Zeph looked up at Cloud as he led him to his bedroom. "You aren't really gonna do that in the woods, are you?"

Cloud shrugged. "Maybe." He looked down and raised a brow. "Come on, now. You know I wouldn't hurt you." They entered the bedroom, the room warmly lit from the wall lamp.

Zeph sat on his bed, giving a nod. "I know. You still...look scary, though." He blushed as he settled beneath the covers.

Cloud crouched by the bed, giving a chuckle. "Am I? I was beginning to think I was as cute as a poodle." The boy grinned at the remark, laughing with the warrior. Cloud ruffled his hair before standing up to leave. "Goodnight, Zeph." He turned off the light and closed the door. He headed towards the master bedroom where Tifa was reading on the bed, he was ready for a shower and his pillow.

* * *

"...I'm home." Merle's voice was tired. He shuffled his aching body into his home that resided several blocks away from the werewolf's den. The realization of his proximity to it had gotten him to purchasing silver items for the house for when he was gone. Footsteps jogged towards him from the darkness of a bedroom, and a girl of about twelve came to greet the peacekeeper, her short auburn hair lining the edges of her face.

"Uncle Merle! How was your shift?" She frowned as she noticed his dirty uniform and scraped up face.

He gave her a small, if defeated, smile. "It could have been worse, Rosa." Walking into the living room, the back of his uniform showed damage from claws. Rosa gasped, her hazel eyes widening at the sight. Merle turned his head, shaking it. "I'm okay. It's dead."

"Did you and Ichi get the one that killed Harry?" She knew Merle was out for that particular one, and she hoped he got it, too.

Merle sighed heavily, turning away. "...No. He killed the one that attacked me." He wondered if it wanted to rub it in.

Rosa cocked her head. "Why would a werewolf do that?"

He shrugged, walking off towards his bedroom. "Can't be sure with him." It lives with a family, and was obviously protected by the WRO, but why, he thought? What kind of deal did he strike with the leader of the WRO where he could live with impunity in the city? Merle stripped off his damaged suit after shutting the door, and went to take a shower in the bathroom connected to his bedroom to wash away the grime and shame.

The girl went to her bedroom and turned on the light, the little room cluttered with her things that had hastily been brought to her uncle's home in June, when he was identified as the next of kin to Rosa. She looked over her silver spear, the shaft mythril and wrapped in soft leather, the blade gleaming polished metal. When she came to live with Merle he, Ichi and Harry had pitched in to get Rosa a nice weapon to help her feel safe as monsters masquerading as humans roamed the city.

Rosa thought back to her day, meeting Vits yet again as he wandered towards her neighborhood. He told her that he'd been getting better at using his sword with the help of a neighbor near his home, and he showed her his technique. He said that one of the neighbor children had said it had saved him from a werewolf attack.

_She had gasped. "What was he doing there?"_

_Vits had shrugged. "He said he got lost, and Cloud n' Tifa had to save him and Marlene."_

_Rosa had shook her head, both because of the boy's escapades and her ignorance of who those names belonged to. "Zeph should know better." She had been in the cell across the room from him when they had been imprisoned, but she hadn't seen him since; she generally stayed in her neighborhood unless Uncle Merle or his two friends were with her._

_The boy had just shrugged, unsure. "Guess living with them, he feels pretty safe."_

_"Do you think that Cloud guy would train me, too?" She barely knew how to use her spear, except to stab with it._

_"I dunno. You should ask him, but he only really knows swords."_

_Rosa had kicked the ground casually. "A spear is sorta like a sword..." She then had looked up at the boy. "I don't know him, it'd be kinda weird to ask..."_

_Vits had smiled at the thought. "He's one of the people that saved us that day!"_

_She had gasped, then smiled. "Really? Oh, was he the man with the big sword and the spiky hair?"_

_"Yeah! He's really nice when you get to know him. Tifa was there, too. They took Zeph in."_

_"So he went with them..." she had murmured._

_Vits had scratched his mop of brown hair. "Where'd you go?"_

_Rosa had looked down. "...Valdt..." She had fidgeted with her fingers. "I live with my uncle now." Looking up now, Vits had noticed her hazel eyes were watery._

_"Sorry, Rosa." He had given her an apologetic look._

_"It's okay, Vits! I'll ask my uncle if I can go. Maybe we can train together!" Vits had happily shaken his head at the possibility._

Snapping out of her thoughts, Rosa pondered if she should go to Zeph's place to train and play. She sometimes felt lonely, but it wasn't as if the neighborhood children didn't play with her. She wanted a connection with other survivors from that hell, that sick bond that was formed when Valdt wasn't tormenting them and they might whisper to each other. Plus, she wanted to make sure Zeph was really alright. She heard Merle leave his room, and a few moments later he appeared in her doorway, nodding as she her examined her weapon.

"Uncle Merle, I was talking to a friend from the sewer today..."

He raised his brow. "Really? Is he doing alright?"

Rosa nodded cheerfully. "Yeah, and another one lives near him, too. They both get trained to use their weapons, so they're safer from werewolves...I'm wondering if I can go, too."

"I mean, if it'd help you when you needed it. We can go tomorrow and ask if you can train." If it kept her safe from werewolves, especially with that spiky haired devil about, it was all good to him.

The girl put her spear away, and then laid down on her bed with a frown on her face as she thought. Merle came to sit by the edge of her bed, putting a hand over hers and patting it. She looked up at him, sadness in her eyes. "We lost a lot this summer, didn't we?"

He looked down, averting his eyes. "Yeah. I miss your parents, too. And Harry." Merle looked back up, his stare determined. "But I'm not givin' up."

Rosa nodded though her frown didn't leave her face. "How come the one that killed Harry is so hard to get, Uncle Merle?"

Merle scowled, thinking about the damnable werewolf that was seemingly attempting to put the peacekeeper into his debt. "Just wily, more in control than others I suppose. Maybe it's 'cause he has to keep up appearances while in the city, I can't tell for sure."

"He must be a real baddie."

The man gave a chuckle. "He thinks he is, but one of these days I'll show him he isn't so tough." He gave his niece an appraising look. "We'll go tomorrow afternoon, before dinner. I gotta cover the morning shift, then Ichi and I can take you out."

Rosa clambered under the covers and then nodded, excited to know some basic techniques with her spear.

"We'll get him, Uncle Merle."


End file.
